A salmonella outbreak affecting at least 23 victims has forced the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham to close down eight wards as a leading public health lawyer calls for a probe into what caused the infection.
Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green Credit: BPM Media (Midlands)
The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that four of its staff and 19 patients have tested positive for a common strain of salmonella.
Amandeep Dhillon, a leading public health lawyer, has called for an investigation into the outbreak.
Mr Dhillon said the "unusual" outbreak, which has left eight people in a stable condition at Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital, might provide lessons to help prevent future outbreaks.
"Attention will then need to turn to identifying the cause of the infection. This will be essential to provide victims and their loved ones with the answers they will want as to what caused their illness," Mr Dhillon said.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever.
Sainsbury's says it has immediately withdrawn 500g bags of SO Organic sultanas from its shelves after "low levels of salmonella were found during routine testing".
Food safety is our top priority so we immediately took this product off display and, as a precautionary measure, we are asking customers who have bought these sultanas to return them to their nearest Sainsbury’s store where they will receive a full refund.
We apologise to customers for any concern and inconvenience this causes.”
Sainsbury's has recalled its 500g SO Organic sultanas. Credit: PA
Sainsbury's is withdrawing SO Organic Sultanas as a precaution after routine testing found salmonella.
The recall applies to 500g bags, according to the Food Standards Agency.
Advice on the FSA website reads: "If you have bought the above product, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store where you bought it for a full refund.
"No other Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd products are known to be affected."
The Food Standards Agency said "no trace of salmonella" was found on the cooked ham batches linked to the outbreak but "other hygiene issues were identified."
Testing has been carried out on ham supplied to a number of butchers identified in the investigation.
No trace of salmonella has been found, but other hygiene issues were identified that led to one supplier voluntarily withdrawing certain batches of ham.
Nine people have been admitted to hospital after an "unusual" salmonella outbreak which health authorities believe may be linked to cooked ham from small independent butchers.
The outbreak has been linked to cooked ham from small independent butchers. Credit: Paul Seheult/Eye Ubiquitous
The outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium has led to 30 confirmed cases in England and 21 in Wales, with nine cases known to have required hospital treatment, the Food Standards Agency said.
Investigators are looking into other cases in both countries, with the first outbreak detected in Wales in August, which centred mainly on Conwy and Gwynedd.
Patients ranged in ages from seven months to 87 years.
A potential common link to cooked ham from small independent butchers has been found, investigators said.
An outbreak of salmonella is being investigated in north west Wales, health officials said today.
A statement from Public Health Wales said a total of 22 people had been diagnosed with salmonella since mid July, with five of the cases requiring hospital treatment.
The outbreak is centred in Conwy and Gynedd.
"Anyone who lives in, or has visited, north west Wales since the middle of July and is experiencing diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever should contact their GP or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647," the statement urged.
Salmonella bacteria under a microscope Credit: Reuters
The Food Standards Agency are searching for the source of the eggs used in the egg whites product infected with Salmonella.
The Health Protection Agency has said there has been no national increase in the number of people infected with Salmonella poisoning as a result of the new cases detected, but they are investigating:
"Although there has been no increase in the number of cases of this type of Salmonella over recent weeks we are still investigating whether newly identified cases might be related to this egg product."
This is the second case of Salmonella linked to liquid egg whites, in 2007 a similar outbreak affected 70 people in England, Wales and the Chanel Islands.
Seven cases of Salmonella have been discovered in a pasteurised liquid egg product called 'Free Range Liquid Egg Whites' sold by Myprotein and Nutricentre websites and health stores.
The product has been recalled and the company are no longer selling it. The Food Standards Agency said they are working to identify the source of the eggs. Doctors are warning anyone who may have bought the product to throw it away:
This egg product has been subject to a recall and so we hope that now that it is no longer in circulation that this will stop people becoming unwell. If anyone has any of this batch of product at home then they should dispose of it.
