UK salmonella cases near 500 as egg investigations continue

Nearly 500 people in the UK have fallen ill with salmonella linked to imported eggs, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The agency reported 207 cases last week, but that figure has risen to 259, with two new clusters bringing the total to 474, including two deaths. Source: BBC

The outbreak

Investigations are ongoing, but experts believe people became sick after eating out rather than cooking eggs at home. The cases involve three near-identical genetic clusters: t5.9411 (259 cases, one death), t5.9765 (38 cases, one death), and t0.24068 (177 cases). Most cases are in England, particularly London and Yorkshire and Humber, with a small number in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Source: BBC

European link

Similar outbreaks are occurring across Europe. In Belgium, at least 306 people have been infected in an outbreak linked to eggs from Laerco, a company in Geel. Salmonella was first detected in April, and a recall followed, but new cases continued, leading to a second recall and a halt in operations. The eggs were distributed through major supermarkets including Colruyt, Delhaize, Aldi, and Carrefour, and the recall has been extended to Luxembourg and other countries. Source: Euronews

Disagreement on source

While the UK outbreak is linked to eggs, investigations in the Netherlands suggest a link with chicken meat rather than eggs. Source: BBC This discrepancy highlights the complexity of tracing the source across borders. Source: Euronews