ONE person in England has died in an E.coli outbreak thought to have been spread by contaminated lettuce.
The death comes after Brits were warned not to eat a selection of wraps, sandwiches and salads after the nasty stomach buglanded dozens in hospital.
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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it has identified two people in England who died within 28 days of infection with shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).
It said: "Based on the information available from health service clinicians one of these deaths is likely linked to their STEC infection.
"Both individuals had underlying medical conditions. The deaths occurred in May."
At least 275 people have been infected in the spate of cases up to June 4.
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A whopping 49 per cent of confirmed cases have been hospitalised.
England is the worst affected in the UK-wide incident, with 182 cases compared to 58 in Scotland, 31 in Wales, and four in Northern Ireland.
Investigators have narrowed down the source to lettuce used in ready-to-eat sandwiches.
Product recalls have been issued by Asda, Aldi, Amazon, Boots, the Co-op, Morrisons, One Stop, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
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Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said: “We are confident in the likely source of the outbreak being linked to lettuce.
“Work continues to confirm this and identify the root cause of the outbreak with the growers, suppliers and manufacturers so that actions can be taken to prevent a re-occurrence.”
Newsof the E. coli outbreak emerged earlier this month, with the UKHealthSecurity Agency (UKHSA) warning that 113 people had fallen ill and 37 were hospitalised with a rare strain of thebacteriacalled Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (STEC).
Experts warned that a "nationally distributed food item" or "multiple food items" could the the source of sickness, several manufacturers pulled products from shelves as a precaution and warned shoppers not to eat them.
E.coli are common bacteria but sometimes cause illness, typically vomiting and diarrhoea.
Most cases clear up on their own with good hydration and rest but serious infections may need hospital treatment.
Fatalities are rare but it is possible for patients to suffer kidney damage or blood clotting, with young children, elderly people and those with weak immune systems at highest risk.
To avoid spreading the illness, people with diarrhoea or vomiting should wash their hands regularly, clean surfaces at home, avoid touching other people’s food, and stay off work or school.
UKHSA officials say the rate of infection now appears to be slowing down.
Incident director Amy Douglas said: “We’re pleased that fewer cases have been reported but we still expect to see a few more cases linked to this outbreak as further samples are sent for testing.”
Full list of recalls
If there is a problem with a food that means it shouldn't be sold, then it might be withdrawn - which means it's taken off the shelves - or recalled when customers are asked to return the product.
Here is the full list of sandwiches, wraps and salads recalled over fears they might contain dangerous bacteria, where each of them is sold and the 'use-by' date on the last affected batch.
Asda
- Smoky Beans and Cheddar Cheese Wrap - June 15
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich) - June 15
- Chicken & Bacon Club (Sandwich) - June 15
- Brie, Bacon and Chilli Chutney (Sandwich) - June 15
- BLT (Sandwich) - June 16
- Vegan No Chick'n Caesar Wrap - June 15
- Tuna Crunch Sub Roll - June 15
- Southern Fried Chicken Wrap - June 15
- Southern Fried Chicken Triple Wrap - June 15
ALDI
- Chicken Fajita Triple Wrap - June 16
Amazon
- Chicken Salad Sandwich - June 16
- Ploughman’s Sandwich - June 16
- Chicken & Bacon Layered Salad - June 16
- Prawn Layered Salad - June 16
- BLT Sandwich - June 16
Boots
- BBQ Chicken Wrap - June 16
- BLT (Sandwich) - June 16
- Cheddar Cheese Ploughman’s (Sandwich) - June 16
- Chicken & Bacon Caesar Wrap - June 16
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich) - June 16
- Chicken Triple (Sandwich) - June 16
- Delicious Ham & Cheese Ploughman’s (Sandwich) - June 16
- Halloumi & Greek Style Salad wrap - June 16
- Ham & Egg Club (Sandwich) - June 16
- Mixed Triple (Sandwich) - June 16
- Southern Fried Chicken Wrap - June 16
- Spicy Bean & Cheese Wrap - June 16
- Vegan No Chicken Salad (Sandwich) - June 16
- Vegan No Duck & Hoisin Wrap - June 16
- Veggie Triple (Sandwich) - June 16
Co-op
- Vegan Gro Onion Bhaji (Sandwich) - June 16
- Mexican Style Bean & Cheese Wrap - June 16
- Ham, Cheese & Pickle (Sandwich) - June 16
- Ham & Cheese Wrap - June 16
- Chicken & Bacon Caesar Wrap - June 17
- Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (Sandwich) - June 16
Morrisons
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich) - June 16
- Chicken Salad PFS (Sandwich) - June 16
- Gluten-Free Chicken Salad (Sandwich) - June 16
- Gluten-Free Sandwich Platter - June 16
One Stop
- Tuna Crunch Sub - June 16
- Chicken Salad Sandwich - June 17
- Hoisin Duck Wrap - June 17
- Chicken, Bacon and Lettuce Sandwich - June 17
Sainsbury’s
- Peri Peri Chicken Wrap - June 16
- BBQ Pulled Pork & Red Leicester (Sandwich) - June 16
- Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Focaccia (Sandwich) - June 16
- Greek Style Wrap - June 16
- Jerk Halloumi Wrap - June 16
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Tesco
- Chicken Salad Sandwich - June 16
- Chicken Salad Sub - June 16
- BBQ Chicken Wrap - June 16
- Hoi Sin Duck Wrap - June 16
- The Chicken Club Sandwich - June 16
- Tuna Crunch Sub - June 16
- Spicy Bean Wrap - June 16
- Chicken Bacon & Lettuce Sandwich - June 16
- Fajita Chicken Wrap - June 16
- Summer Edition Greek Style Chicken Gyros Wrap - June 16
WH Smith
- THIS! Ins't Chicken & Bacon Wrap - June 18
What are the symptoms of STEC?
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli can cause gastrointestinal illness that can become severe.
The most common type of STEC in the UK is O157, according to a 2017 report byPublic Health England.
Some people who are exposed to STEC do not become ill. Others develop stomach cramps and bloody diarrhoea.
Symptoms can also include vomiting, fever, and chills.
In severe cases, the infection can damage organs, such as the kidneys.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from one to ten days after exposure but usually appear around three to four days after exposure.
Most of those affected by the bug will get better without treatment within a week. Sufferers are advised to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Are you at risk of getting it?
People can become infected by:
- Eating contaminated food
- Contact with infected animals either directly or through inadvertent contact with animal faeces, for example at farms, petting farms and campsites
- Contact with other people who have the illness (through inadequate hand hygiene after using the toilet, before food handling - particularly in households, nurseries, infant schools, or both
- Drinking water from inadequately treated water supplies
- Swimming or playing in contaminated water such as ponds or streams
STECare very infectious because very few bacteria are needed to cause illness.
This means that disease can spread easily within families and in other settings such as day nurseries, primary schools, nursing homes and hospitals where there are young children and others who might have difficulty keeping clean.
How can you protect yourself from STEC?
An STEC infection can be prevented by taking the following precautions:
- Cook all minced meat products (burgers, meatloaf, meatballs) thoroughly, until the colour is the same all the way through, and no blood runs from them
- Ensure refrigerators are working correctly - bacteria grow more quickly at temperatures over 4oC
- Only leave cooked foods, meat and dairy products out at room temperature for a short time
- Store uncooked meats below-cooked meats and salad vegetables to avoid dripping juices onto ready-to-eat food
- Store uncooked and cooked meats on different plates, and avoid all contact between raw and cooked meats
- Thoroughly wash all salad vegetables and do not prepare them with utensils that have also been used for raw meat
- Children and the elderly who are particularly susceptible to the severe effects ofSTECshould avoid eating or drinking unpasteurised dairy products
- People who have been ill should not prepare food for others for at least 48 hours after they have recovered
- Boil any drinking water if you are unsure of its source
- Do not swim in water that you think may be contaminated by cattle and sheep in nearby fields
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet (or helping others including changing nappies), handling raw meat, before meals and after contact with animals
Source: PHE
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