E. coli cases coming from ‘single outbreak’, officials warn

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning after it was revealed that a “nationally distributed food item” was the likely cause of a surge in E. coli cases in recent weeks.

As of 4 June, there have been 81 cases in England, 18 in Wales, 13 in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland, amounting to a total of 113 confirmed cases associated with this particular outbreak, with figures expected to rise.

The majority of cases were among young adults and 37 people have been hospitalised in England.

The UKHSA is investigating the incident alongside public health agencies across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who believe this started from a single outbreak.

The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) bacteria can cause severe bloody diarrhoea and more serious complications depending on the extremity of the infection.

It is often transmitted by consuming contaminated food, but can also be spread through close contact with an infected person.

Typically, there are around 1,500 reported cases of STEC over a full year.

Although the exact source of this outbreak has not yet been confirmed, there is currently no evidence to suggest it arose from open farms, drinking water or swimming in contaminated rivers, lakes or the sea, the UKHSA said.

UKHSA has urged people to regularly wash their hands, avoid preparing food for others if they show symptoms of STEC, and avoid returning to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after their symptoms clear.

Darren Whitby, head of incidents and resilience at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), said: “The FSA is working with UKHSA and relevant public health bodies to identify the source of the illness, which is likely to be linked to one or more food items.”

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