One person has died and 207 people have fallen ill across the United Kingdom in a salmonella food poisoning outbreak linked to contaminated imported eggs.
The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that a single strain of the bacteria is responsible for the cases detected since the start of the year. More than a third of those struck down required hospital treatment, with two patients suffering life-threatening bloodstream infections.
The outbreak has affected people of all ages, ranging from newborn babies to patients in their 90s. Officials said the current surge appears to be related to a previous bout of salmonella infections in 2025 that was also linked back to contaminated eggs.
England has recorded the vast majority of cases, with 199 confirmed infections. London has been hardest hit with 47 cases, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber with 38. Elsewhere in the UK, six cases have been reported in Scotland, one in Wales, and one in Northern Ireland.
Health investigators have traced 114 of the 207 confirmed cases back to five food businesses as of August 13. Specific cross-contamination risks were identified at two of those premises.
However, the UK Health Security Agency emphasized that there is currently no evidence linking the outbreak to UK-produced eggs or poultry, and officials are not advising the public to avoid eggs entirely.
Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at the UK Health Security Agency, said public health bodies are actively investigating the supply chain alongside the Food Standards Agency.
"We’re working with Food Standards Agency and other public health agencies to investigate a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK," Charles said.
Charles explained that salmonellosis is typically contracted by eating or handling contaminated food, though person-to-person spread can occur in rare instances.
"Symptoms - which can take up to 72 hours to develop - include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever," Charles said. "Anyone who is concerned about symptoms should contact their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance."
She added: "There are simple steps to prevent the spread of salmonella - wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook food thoroughly, and if you have any symptoms, avoid handling food for others where possible."
The UK Health Security Agency is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care responsible for national health protection and infectious disease surveillance. The Food Standards Agency is the non-ministerial government department that oversees food safety across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Together, the two agencies recorded 10,406 cases of salmonella across the UK last year.
Expert warnings on scale of outbreak
Academic experts warned that the recorded number of cases represents only a portion of the total infections resulting from the outbreak.
Dr Damien Tully, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said official statistics likely capture only severe cases.
"This is a sizeable outbreak, but the number of confirmed cases is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg," Dr Tully said. "Many Salmonella infections cause relatively short-lived gastrointestinal illness and people may recover without ever being tested, meaning the true number of infections associated with an outbreak can be considerably higher than the number identified through laboratory surveillance."
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is a public research institution in London specializing in public health, epidemiology, and infectious disease control.
Dr Aiden Taylor, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, noted that major outbreaks of this scale tied to a single food source are uncommon in the UK.
"While Salmonella infections occur every year in the UK, outbreaks linked to a single food source that result in hundreds of illnesses and a reported death are relatively unusual and are understandably a cause for concern," Dr Taylor said. "The government's decision to issue a food safety alert reflects the importance of identifying and removing contaminated products from the food chain as quickly as possible."
The University of Reading, based in Berkshire, is a leading UK research university known for its specialized work in food science, microbiology, and agriculture.
Salmonella symptoms and egg safety guidance
Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped bacteria that causes salmonellosis, one of the most common foodborne illnesses worldwide. It is typically transmitted through undercooked meat, poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurised dairy products, or unwashed produce. While symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea usually clear up within a few days, vulnerable groups can develop severe complications including bloodstream infections, infection of metastatic sites, sepsis, and multiorgan failure.
Health authorities cautioned that there is no reliable way to tell if an egg carries salmonella by inspecting its shell, smelling it, or looking at it. Consumers are advised to buy eggs from reputable retailers, check best-before dates, and follow storage instructions on the packet.
In the UK, eggs bearing the British Lion stamp or the Laid in Britain logo are subject to stringent safety controls, including mandatory vaccination of laying hens against salmonella and regular flock testing. As a result, domestic lion-marked eggs are classified as very low risk by health authorities.
For eggs of unverified or imported origin, health officials advise cooking them thoroughly until both the white and yolk are firm. Consumers should also wash their hands after handling raw eggs and ensure raw egg liquid does not come into contact with ready-to-eat foods.
