E. coli Outbreak Linked to Lettuce Claims Life in England, Over 120 Hospitalized

One person has tragically died and more than 120 individuals, including children as young as six, have been hospitalized in England following an E. coli outbreak associated with lettuce.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported that two individuals in England passed away within 28 days of being infected with shiga toxin-producing E. coli (Stec), with one of these deaths likely linked to their Stec infection. Both individuals had underlying medical conditions, and the deaths occurred in May.

As of June 25, there have been a total of 275 confirmed cases of Stec in the UK, with 182 cases in England, 58 in Scotland, 31 in Wales, and four in Northern Ireland. All those affected had symptoms before June 4.

Several food manufacturers have issued recalls of sandwiches, wraps, and salads sold in major supermarkets and retail chains due to potential linkage to the outbreak. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) indicated that lettuce used in these products is suspected to be the likely source of the outbreak.

Based on data from 249 cases, 49% of those affected required hospitalization, resulting in at least 122 individuals being admitted since the start of the outbreak. Hospitalized individuals included children as young as six and adults as old as 85.

A legal firm, Fieldfisher, representing a young girl from the north-west, revealed that the 11-year-old fell seriously ill after consuming a chicken salad sandwich, leading to hospitalization and subsequent dialysis for nearly three weeks due to developing haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).

Dr. Aidan Taylor, a microbiology lecturer at the University of Reading, emphasized the significance of robust food safety measures throughout the supply chain, urging for continued vigilance in industry practices and consumer awareness to prevent similar outbreaks.