In England, two people died within 28 days after getting infected with a type of E. coli bacteria that produces shiga toxin, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in a Thursday briefing.
According to health service doctors, one of these deaths is probably connected to their infection with Stec. Both people had existing health problems, and these deaths happened in May.
As of June 25, there have been 19 more cases of Stec reported, making the total number of confirmed cases 275 in the UK, according to information on the UKHSA website.
In England, there have been 182 cases, in Scotland 58 cases, in Wales 31 cases, and in Northern Ireland 4 cases. All the people affected showed symptoms before June 4th.
Many food makers have withdrawn sandwiches, wraps, and salads from major supermarkets and stores because they might be connected to the outbreak. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) believes that lettuce used in these products is likely the source of the problem.
According to information from 249 cases, 49% of those affected needed hospital care, which means at least 122 people have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. The Guardian knows that both children as young as six and adults up to 85 years old were among those who needed hospital treatment.
One of the victims is an 11-year-old girl from the north-west who became very sick and had to go to the hospital after eating a chicken salad sandwich from a supermarket's own brand.
She needed dialysis for nearly three weeks after developing haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a condition linked to Stec that can cause kidney failure and sometimes death.
"Fortunately, she is now stable enough to go home, but HUS is a very serious condition that can cause permanent kidney damage and affect people for life," said Claire Glasgow from the legal firm Fieldfisher, which represents the girl's family.
E. coli is a group of bacteria that usually live harmlessly in the intestines of humans and animals. However, some types produce toxins, like Stec, that can make people very sick.
People infected with Stec can have diarrhea, and about half of them have bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms include stomach cramps and fever. Symptoms can last up to two weeks in mild cases.
Some patients, mostly children, may develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a serious and life-threatening condition that leads to kidney failure. A small number of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
Stec is often spread by eating contaminated food but can also be passed through close contact with an infected person, direct contact with an infected animal, or by touching areas where the animal lives.
Amy Douglas, the UKHSA incident director, said she expects more cases to be linked to the outbreak as additional samples are sent to the agency for testing.
Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the FSA, said, “Earlier this month, we confirmed that several sandwich makers took precautionary steps to withdraw and recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs, and rolls. This action was taken after food chain and epidemiological links pointed to a type of lettuce used in these sandwich products as the likely cause of the outbreak.
"This is still a complex investigation, and we continue to work with the relevant businesses and local authorities to make sure the necessary steps are taken to protect consumers.
"While we are confident that lettuce is the likely source of the outbreak, we are still working to confirm this and identify the root cause with growers, suppliers, and manufacturers to prevent it from happening again."
Dr. Aidan Taylor, a microbiology lecturer at the University of Reading, said the outbreak is "a serious public health concern."
He mentioned, "This outbreak shows how important it is to have strong food safety measures from start to finish in the supply chain. It also emphasizes the importance of staying alert in both industry practices and consumer awareness."
SOURCE: The Guardian