At least 87 Brits admitted to hospital and hundreds sick with bug ‘likely from supermarket food’

AT least 86 people have been admitted to hospital with E. coli linked to supermarket sandwiches.

Food chiefs are “confident” a type of lettuce found in the sandwiches in behind the outbreak of the bloody diarrhoea-causing bug.

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New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there have been 45 further cases of E. coli infection as of June 18.

This takes the total number of confirmed cases across the UK since the outbreak began to 256.

All those who have been affected first developed symptoms before May 31.

All the cases were caused by a strain of the bacteria called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (STEC), which can leave sufferers with severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, tummy pain and fever.

It comes as a Cheshire man was left with a “serious brain injury” after catching E. coli from £4.99 wrap he bought in Boots – which has since been recalled

John Daniels, 66, has now instructed lawyers to probe the sickness after it emerged hundreds of people had been affected by an outbreak of the bug.

The UKHSA said: “Although the rate of cases has now slowed, we expect the figure to rise as NHS laboratories refer specimens to UKHSA for genomic sequencing which can link cases to this outbreak strain.”

The outbreak is “complex”

Over 60 sandwiches, salads and wraps sold major UK supermarkets and chains were pulled from shelves as a “precautionary measure” over fears they might be contaminated with the bacteria.

Affected retailers include Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op, and retail pharmacy chain Boots.

E. coli was not detected in the recalled products, but people who’d bought them were warned not to eat them and return them to stores for a refund instead.

The Food Standard Agenct emphasised that determining the exact source of the outbreak was “complex” and said its investigation “is still ongoing”.

“Although we are confident in the source of the outbreak being linked to a small number of salad leaves, which we identified early on through extensive food chain analysis, work continues to identify the root cause of the outbreak with the growers, suppliers and manufacturers so that actions can be taken to prevent a re-occurrence.

“We will remain vigilant until the root cause of the outbreak is confirmed and we are keeping an open mind about possible causes of the outbreak.”

What is E. coli?

E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria that are normally harmless and live in the intestines of humans and animals.

However, some strains produce toxins that can make people very ill, such as Stec.

People infected with Stec can suffer diarrhoea, and about 50 per cent of cases have bloody diarrhoea.

Other symptoms include stomach cramps and fever.

Symptoms can last up to two weeks in uncomplicated cases.

Some patients, mainly children, may develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome, which is a serious life-threatening condition resulting in kidney failure.

A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

Stec is often transmitted by eating contaminated food but can also be spread by close contact with an infected person, as well as direct contact with an infected animal or where it lives.

People are advised to call NHS 111 or contact their GP surgery if they are worried about a baby under 12 months, a child stops breast or bottle feeding while they are ill, a child under five has signs of dehydration such as fewer wet nappies, and if older children or adults still have signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets.

Help should also be sought if people are being sick and cannot keep fluid down, there is bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom, diarrhoea lasts more than seven days or vomiting for more than two days.

How can I avoid getting sick with E. coli?

Trish Mannes, Incident Director at UKHSA, said: “Symptoms of infections with STEC include severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.

“If you are unwell, have eaten salad leaves recently and are concerned about any symptoms, follow NHS.uk guidance on when to seek help and the steps you can take to avoid further spread to family and friends.

“While diarrhoea and vomiting can have a range of causes, there are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk and risk of infecting others.”

She advised you:

• Wash your hands with soap and warm water
• Using disinfectants to clean surfaces to help stop any further spread of infection
• Do not prepare food for others if you are unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting
• Avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these settings
• Do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped