The number of people diagnosed with salmonella in connection with three ongoing outbreaks in the UK has risen sharply, with health officials confirming 528 cases.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the figure has increased from 474 cases reported a week earlier, with more than 50 additional infections identified in just seven days.
Health authorities are continuing to investigate the outbreaks, which they believe are likely connected to imported eggs.
Three Outbreaks Account for Hundreds of Cases
The largest of the three outbreaks now accounts for 305 confirmed infections, compared with 259 recorded at the same point last week.
One person has died in connection with this outbreak.
A separate cluster has recorded 41 cases and has also been linked to one death, while another 182 infections have been associated with a third outbreak.
More than one-third of people affected across the three outbreaks have required hospital treatment, highlighting the potential seriousness of the infections.
Although many of the cases have emerged in recent weeks and months, investigators have identified positive samples dating as far back as August last year.
Imported Eggs Remain a Key Focus of Investigation
The UKHSA said its investigation has so far identified a link to imported eggs, although officials stressed that work to establish the precise source of the outbreaks is continuing.
British cases have been associated with people eating food from small cafés, restaurants and takeaway businesses.
The investigation has also taken on an international dimension, with cases reported in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Dutch authorities, however, have been investigating chicken products as a possible source of infections in their country.
Officials have stressed that there is currently no evidence that eggs produced in the UK are responsible for the outbreaks.
Vulnerable Britons Told to Avoid Lightly Cooked Eggs When Eating Out
Public health officials are advising people at higher risk of serious illness to take particular care when consuming egg-based foods outside the home.
The UKHSA and food safety authorities are urging people to avoid raw or lightly cooked egg products, including foods such as mousses, mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce.
People aged over 65, pregnant women and children under five are among those advised to avoid runny eggs when eating out unless they can establish that the eggs meet the relevant safety standards.
The advice is particularly important in restaurants and takeaway businesses because customers may not know whether the eggs used in their meals carry the British Lion mark or have been produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.
British Eggs Considered Low Risk
Professor Ian Young, chief scientific adviser for the Food Standards Agency, said eggs that are properly cooked and handled hygienically should not pose a food safety risk.
He said infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only consume raw or lightly cooked eggs if they carry the British Lion mark or come from producers operating under the Laid in Britain scheme.
The guidance does not apply to people who are severely immunocompromised and follow medically supervised diets.
Those individuals should continue to follow advice provided by their healthcare professionals.
For vulnerable people eating away from home, officials say the safest option is to choose thoroughly cooked eggs and avoid dishes containing raw or lightly cooked egg.
UKHSA Says Investigation Is Still Underway
Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said investigators were continuing to work with the Food Standards Agency and other public health organisations to understand how the infections were spreading.
She said the investigation had so far pointed towards imported eggs but remained ongoing, adding that officials would continue following up individual cases and examining any additional potential common sources.
Despite the rise in confirmed infections and the deaths associated with the outbreaks, Charles said the overall risk to the public remains low.
How Salmonella Spreads
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can be contracted through contaminated food.
Common sources include poultry, meat and eggs, as well as raw fruit and vegetables and unpasteurised dairy products.
Typical symptoms include diarrhoea and stomach cramps, although infection can become considerably more serious in some people.
Severe illness can result in dehydration, bloodstream infections, organ failure and, in the most serious cases, death.
Infants, pregnant women, older people and individuals with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of developing dangerous complications.
Hygiene Remains a Crucial Defence
Health officials are reminding the public that basic food hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of salmonella infection.
People are advised to follow cooking and storage instructions on food packaging, wash their hands thoroughly before handling food and wash them again after handling raw meat, poultry or eggs.
Thorough cooking is particularly important because properly cooked eggs are considered safe when they have been handled hygienically.
Salmonella Cases Have Been Rising Across Britain
The latest outbreaks come amid a broader increase in salmonella infections in the UK.
A total of 10,406 cases were recorded last year, representing the highest annual figure in a decade.
The current outbreaks have not affected all parts of the country equally.
London and the North East of England have recorded the highest numbers of cases, while the South West has reported the lowest infection rate.
Serious Complications Can Include Sepsis
One of the most dangerous complications can occur when salmonella enters the bloodstream and triggers sepsis.
Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection in which the body’s immune reaction begins damaging its own tissues and organs.
Around 245,000 people in Britain are affected by sepsis each year, with almost 50,000 deaths recorded annually.
Warning signs can include confusion, extreme shivering, severe breathlessness, producing little or no urine and skin that becomes mottled or bluish.
An intense feeling that something is seriously wrong or an impending sense of doom can also accompany the condition.
Sepsis is a medical emergency requiring urgent hospital treatment.
Patients may need antibiotics, intravenous fluids and oxygen, while the most severe cases can require intensive care.
