ONE person in England has died after a mass recall of sandwiches feared to contain the bacteria, the UK Health Security Agency has said.
The death comes after Brits have been warned not to eat a selection of wraps, sandwiches and salads after an outbreak of the nasty gastrointestinal illness landed dozens in hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it had 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.”
As of June 25, there have been a further 19 cases of Stec, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 275 in the UK.
An whopping 49 per cent of those infected have gone to hospital. 182 of the cases are in England, 58 are in Scotland, 31 are in Wales, and four are in Northern Ireland.
A number of food manufacturers have recalled sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in major supermarkets and retail chains over fears they are linked to the outbreak.
The Food Standards Agency has said lettuce used in the products are thought to be the likely source of the outbreak.
News of the E. coli outbreak emerged earlier this month, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warning that 113 people had fallen ill and 37 were hospitalised with a rare strain of the bacteria called 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.
As of June 11, there had been a further 98 cases associated with this outbreak of STEC O145 in the UK, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 211.
A STEC infection can cause nasty and sometimes severe symptoms, including diarrhoea that can be bloody, tummy pain and fever.
In serious cases, the infection can damage organs, such as the kidneys.
Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the FSA, previously said: “Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary measure to recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls to identify the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by STEC.
“This is a complex investigation, and we have worked swiftly with the relevant businesses and the local authorities concerned to narrow down the wide range of foods.
“The FSA is here to ensure that food is safe. If there are products on the market that are not, we won’t hesitate to take action to remove them.”
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.
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 by Public 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:
STEC are 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:
Source: PHE
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