Nearly 500 people in the United Kingdom have fallen ill in a salmonella outbreak linked to imported eggs, health authorities have confirmed.
Cases of the bacterial infection have surged by 25 per cent since July, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reporting 207 new cases in the last week alone. Total cases in Britain have reached 474, and two people have died since the outbreak began, including one British resident.
Health officials identified two new infection clusters as the driver behind the recent spike. The outbreak is also spreading across continental Europe, with cases reported in seven countries overall.
Outside the UK, the Netherlands has recorded 106 cases of salmonella, followed by Belgium with 15, Germany with six, and France with four. Two cases have been reported in Austria and one in Denmark.
UK health chiefs believe imported eggs are responsible for the outbreak. However, health investigators in the Netherlands have linked their domestic cases to contaminated chicken meat rather than eggs.
UK regional cases and venue links
Across Britain, the highest number of infections has been recorded in London and the region of Yorkshire and the Humber. Further cases have also been identified in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Data from the UKHSA indicates that British cases are linked to people eating out at small cafes, restaurants, and takeaway businesses. Despite the growing numbers, public health officials emphasize that the overall risk to the general public remains low.
The UKHSA is the executive agency responsible for public health protection and outbreak monitoring across the country. Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestines of animals and humans, commonly spread through raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs.
Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: "We continue to work with the FSA and other public health agencies to investigate these salmonella clusters in the UK. It's important to emphasise that the overall risk to the general public remains low."
Charles added: "Our investigation to date indicates a link to imported eggs, however this investigation remains ongoing. We will continue to follow up cases and investigate any further common sources if they come to light."
Symptoms and food safety guidance
Symptoms of salmonella infection include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, severe dehydration, blood poisoning, organ failure, and in severe cases, death. However, most individuals who contract the bacteria make a full recovery without requiring hospital care or medical intervention.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), the non-ministerial government department responsible for food safety across the UK, noted that standard safety guidance remains unchanged. Professor Ian Young, chief scientific adviser to the FSA, said: "Eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk."
Health authorities advise consumers to cook all eggs, meat, and poultry thoroughly until piping hot throughout, ensuring no pink or translucent flesh remains. Vulnerable groups, including babies and the elderly, should avoid consuming raw or runny eggs.
To prevent cross-contamination, raw meat and eggs must be kept strictly separate from ready-to-eat foods, using separate chopping boards and utensils where possible. Worktops, utensils, and cutting boards should be thoroughly sanitized after contact with raw ingredients, and hands washed with soap and water.
Shoppers are also advised to select eggs bearing the British Lion mark or the Laid in Britain assurance label. These schemes certify that egg-producing hens have been tested and vaccinated against salmonella.
