More than 450 outbreaks were recorded in Lithuania this past year, according to the Center for Communicable Diseases and AIDS (ULAC).
ULAC data shows there were 459 outbreaks in 2019 with 1,204 people affected, of which more than half — 805 — were treated in hospitals.
Of these outbreaks, 410 were classed as familial and 49 as widespread. From the latter, 39 were related to children’s educational institutions and five were linked to food businesses.
The largest outbreak with 39 patients was recorded in a childcare facility that spread through contaminated food and because of a lack of proper hygiene.
The most common causes were rotavirus, norovirus, and Salmonella, but more than half could not be identified. Main factors in transmission were lack of hygiene and contaminated food such as chicken and egg products.
FoodWorld 