The diarrhoea and vomiting bug norovirus has spread to five hospitals across north Wales, with 31 patients falling ill, a health board says.
Visitors are being urged to help stop the infection at Ysbyty Gwynedd, along with Dolgellau, Colwyn Bay, Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Maelor hospitals.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board says there are restrictions on admissions at eight wards.
The number of norovirus infections in the UK is at higher levels than normal.
BBC News
What do norovirus and baked-on lasagna have in common? Both can survive the dishwasher.
Researchers at Ohio State University have made a discovery that may help to explain why restaurants have a hard time controlling the spread of norovirus, the leading cause of food poisoning worldwide. About half of all foodborne illness outbreaks in the US are caused by norovirus, most of them, about 80 percent, happen between November and April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Six ongoing Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened a total of 248 people in 34 states have been linked to illegal pet turtles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Almost 70 percent of those who became ill were children under the age of 10.
It is precisely because of Salmonella risk , especially to young children, that the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale and distribution of small turtles as pets in 1975. Turtles with shells shorter four inches should not be purchased as pets or given as gifts.
Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella
Owners of a Bloomington, Illinois McDonalds voluntarily shut the establishment down last week after it was linked to a series of Salmonella infections.
Bob and Julie Dobski, who own 9 McDonalds franchises in the Bloomington-Normal area, were informed by health officials Wednesday night that the South Main Street location had been connected to a cluster of Salmonella illnesses. The owners chose to shut down the restaurant before Thanksgiving the following day.
Less than 10 Salmonella cases have been reported, according to Keri Simon, communications director for the McClean County Health Department, as reported by Pantagraph. People affected by the bacteria report eating at the restaurant between October 18 and November 11, according to the county health department, which is conducting the investigation along with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning consumers not to eat certain peanut butter and peanut-based products which have been imported from the US because of possible contamination with salmonella. Salmonella is a bacterium that causes food poisoning. The Agency has issued a Food Alert for Action.
An outbreak of a strain of salmonella called Salmonella Bredeney in the US has been linked to peanut butter produced by a company called Sunland Inc. As a result, the manufacturer is recalling a wide range of peanut butter and peanut-based products. Other products containing nuts and seeds are also being recalled.
Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged food, food alert, food standards agency, nuts and seeds, sunland inc
A total of 28 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coliO157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) have been reported from five states, with most cases in New York.
42% of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two ill persons have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.
The outbreak was initially in New York. More recently, more ill persons in other states have been reported, and the investigation has expanded.
Posted in Bacteria, CDC, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged climate, hemolytic uremic syndrome, ill persons, kidney failure, research, science
The Food Safety Information Council has released concerning national survey data this week that shows 60% of home cooks in Australia are putting themselves at additional risk of food poisoning from chicken.
The data showed that 60 per cent were at risk from washing whole poultry before it was cooked, which can spread bacteria around the kitchen. A further 16% of those surveyed incorrectly tasted chicken to see if it was cooked properly rather than using a safe meat thermometer.
The focus on cross-contamination of meats by the Food Safety Information Council (FSIC) comes as yesterday marked the start of Australian Food Safety Week. The FSIC week is specifically focusing on chicken and those most affected by food poisoning with the theme “vulnerable populations.”
Food Safety Information Council Chairman, Dr Michael Eyles said that chicken, as Australia’s most popular meat, was consumed by 8 in every ten home cooks.
”Home cooks are probably following what their parents or grandparents did in the past by washing poultry, not to mention probably patting it dry with a tea towel. Washing poultry splashes these bacteria around the kitchen cross contaminating sinks, taps, your hands, utensils, chopping boards and foods that aren’t going to be cooked like salads or desserts,” Dr Eyles said.
“Chicken is a healthy, convenient meal [but] other poultry is also becoming popular with just under half of those surveyed cooking whole turkey and 37% whole duck but these, too, are being washed before cooking, with 68% washing turkey and 74% duck,” he added.
According to a Food Standards Australia New Zealand survey referenced by the Food Safety Information Council, 84 per cent of raw chicken carcasses tested positive to the food poisoning bacteria Campylobacter and 22 per cent to Salmonella.
A scallop fishery in the White Rock area has been closed after the same paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) found in Spring Bay Seafood’s mussels was detected in samples taken on November 2.
“PST levels in tested scallops are currently either close to or slightly over the permitted level, but it’s possible the level will increase before it goes back down again,” a health department warning said.
The affected shellfish don’t look or taste different and the toxin is not destroyed by cooking or freezing, but there have been no reports of illness.
Posted in Algal Toxin, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, PSP, Research, Shellfish, Water
Tagged environment, food, food standards australia, food standards australia new zealand, science
Two customers at Blanc Brasserie, in Covent Garden, London, were left ill after eating pink lamb’s liver which was not cooked thoroughly enough, a court has been told. The restaurant has now been banned from serving the dish, after failing to heed a warning from council environmental health officers, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard. The food had “presented an imminent risk of injury to health because the process of cooking”, the court was told. Blanc Brasseries will now pay £3,103 in costs and have confirmed they will comply with the order, as a spokeswoman said they were unable to cook the liver to council standards without compromising on taste.
“Brasserie Bar Co has not contested the EHO enforcement and will no longer serve liver in any of its restaurants,” she said.
Total of 11 cases of botulism were registered during the 11 months of this year with 17 poisoned people out of which two ended fatally, Sanitary-Epidemiological Service at the Armenian Healthcare Ministry informed Armenian News Am. Two of the poisoned persons were children. The poisoning cases were registered in Yerevan, as well as in Shirak, Ararat, Armavir, Lori and Tavush regions of Armenia. As a matter of fact, 19 cases of botulism were registered last year with 30 poisoned people, 3 of whom died.
To avoid the poisoning, the Ministry warns again not to prepare canned food at home, or at least to boil it for up to 30 minutes before consumption.
Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research
Tagged environment, nature
A cruise ship delayed its departure from Southampton after a suspected outbreak of norovirus on board. Celebrity Cruises’ vessel Constellation arrived in the city’s port at 06:00 GMT at the end of a 12-night cruise. Southampton’s Port Health Authority said about 350 passengers had fallen ill with the vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Its departure was delayed until 20:00 while deep cleaning took place.
The authority’s Rosie Zambra confirmed it was informed of “concerns over an increased levels of what appeared to be norovirus” several days before the ship’s arrival.
Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Virus
Tagged celebrity cruises, night cruise, transportation, vomiting and diarrhoea
FoodWorld 