The E. Coli outbreak linked to mixed salad leaves and that has caused two deaths is subsiding with only nine cases recorded over the past week, Public Health England (PHE) has said.
Investigations into the source of the outbreak are ongoing, the body said, but are focused on mixed salad distribution into the wholesale, and not retail, sectors.
A small number of wholesalers are still being advised not to use some non-UK salad leave in mixed salad products, pending further investigations. Testing has indicated that the outbreak is likely to be an imported strain, possibly from the Mediterranean area, PHE said, although no individual company or source has been named.
“It’s important to be aware that no individual wholesaler, supplier, retailer, or restaurant has been confirmed as the source and currently the Food Standard Agency’s investigations focus on the distribution of mixed salad leaves to wholesale and not supermarkets,” said Isabel Oliver, director of PHE’s field epidemiology service.
“The source of the outbreak remains unconfirmed and under investigation; we are not ruling out other food items.”
A total of 160 cases of the E. Coli outbreak have now been confirmed, with 153 in England, six in Wales and one in Scotland.
“We are pleased to see a very significant reduction in the number of cases with nine reported over the past week. This could indicate that we are over the worst of this outbreak, with those affected reporting the last onset of symptoms on 5 July,” said Oliver.
“But this is still too many, and the risk of those affected passing the infection onto others remains. Strict hygiene measures are essential for anyone affected, to stop the infection passing to others.”
