UK – Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) data: 2020 – Updated 26/04/2024

Posted on April 29, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Gov UK

Main points

A total of 402 confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 were reported in England and Wales in 2020.

The lowest incidence of STEC O157 was in the London region (0.29 per 100,000 population) and the highest in the South West region (1.04 per 100,000 population).

Children aged 5 to 9 years had the highest incidence of infection (1.50 per 100,000 population, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12 to 1.96).

One-third of confirmed STEC O157 cases in England were hospitalised and 3% were reported to have developed Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS).

A further 286 specimens in England and 41 in Wales were positive for Shiga toxins (Stx) genes on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at the Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit (GBRU) but an organism was not cultured.

The most commonly isolated non-O157 STEC serogroup was STEC O26 (England: n=103 out of 553, 19%; and Wales: n=26 out of 268, 15%).

Three outbreaks of STEC involving 63 cases in England were investigated in 2020.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, E.coli O26, E.coli O26 :H11, food bourne outbreak, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

Saudi Arabia – Food poisoning cases rise to 35 in Riyadh restaurant incident

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Saudi Gazette

Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdali, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, announced that the number of food poisoning cases linked to a specific restaurant in Riyadh has increased to 35.

Of these, 27 cases are currently receiving intensive care, while 6 individuals have recovered and two have been discharged after necessary medical treatment.

The Ministry has taken measures to prevent further incidents by collaborating with relevant authorities to conduct thorough epidemiological investigations. This proactive approach aims to minimize risks and ensure rapid response to any similar future events.

Riyadh Municipality took immediate action by closing the implicated restaurant as well as its branches and central laboratory for further investigations to ascertain the cause of the outbreak. These closures are part of a comprehensive set of precautions aimed at safeguarding public health.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Poisoning

Canada – 96 lab-confirmed cases linked to E. coli at Calgary day cares, 22 kids in hospital: AHS

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Yahoo Movies

There are now 96 lab-confirmed cases linked to the current E. coli outbreak in Calgary daycare centres, the AHS confirmed in a press conference Wednesday.

Dr. Francesco Rizzuti, medical officer of health with AHS Calgary zone said that of the 96 cases there have been 22 hospitalizations thus far.

Sixteen of those patients are currently at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, while six are at the Peter Lougheed Centre. AHS confirmed that all of those hospitalized are children.

The first patients were admitted over the Labour Day weekend, reporting symptoms such as bloody diarrhea.
He added that AHS is still investigating the source of this outbreak and will continue to update families as information becomes available.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – SAN DIEGO COUNTY HIT BY NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK LINKED TO SOUTH KOREAN OYSTERS

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Hood Line

A shellfish shakedown is sweeping through San Diego County after 33 people fell ill, contracting norovirus likely linked to frozen raw oysters imported from a company in South Korea, health officials said.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is sounding the alarm, telling distributors and retailers to halt sales and service of frozen raw oysters from JBR, Inc., located in Tongyeongsi, Republic of Korea; these shellfish are suspected culprits behind a string of gastroenteritis cases among eaters in late March and April. These specific oysters arrived bearing the label “Amazing Sea Brand.” They have been traced back to being harvested on several dates—November 26, 2023, January 4, and February 15—and San Diego County public health officials, alongside the CDPH’s investigation, pointed to these as the likely source of the virus transmission, according to a statement obtained by the California Department of Public Health.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, outbreak

USA – Nearly 200 people sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess, Royal Caribbean ships

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Yahoo News

Nearly 200 people got sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 94 of the 2,532 guests on Sapphire Princess reported being ill during its April 5 cruise, along with 20 crew members. The round-trip cruise, which left from Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific, will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper.

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, 67 of its 1,993 guests reported being ill in addition to two crew members during a cruise that ended April 22, according to the CDC. The two-week voyage sailed from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles with stops in countries like Colombia and Panama, according to CruiseMapper.

In both outbreaks, the guests and crew members’ main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

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Posted in Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Norovirus, Norovirus Cruise

USA – Norovirus outbreak at New York restaurant linked to infected food handlers

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Healio

Eurofins

A norovirus outbreak at a New York restaurant was traced back to sick food handlers, some of whom were unaware of the location’s paid sick leave policy, researchers reported at the CDC’s annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference.

“In December, we received three reports of gastrointestinal illness in patrons [who] dined with a Manhattan restaurant. They were patrons [who] had been part of two different parties that dined on two different days at the same restaurant,” Leah D. Seifu, MD, MPH, Epidemic Intelligence Service with the CDC assigned to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told Healio. “So, we, at the health department decided to investigate these reports of gastrointestinal illness.”

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Posted in food handler, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Illness, Norovirus

Sweden’s largest egg producer to cull all its chickens following recurrent Salmonella outbreaks

Posted on April 29, 2024 by | Leave a comment

AP News

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s largest egg producer, which had nearly 1.2 million chickens or 20% of all laying hens in the country before a salmonella outbreak, has been ordered to euthanize all of them so the facility can be fully cleaned.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture has given up on attempts to clean the hen houses at CA Cedergren, which has had recurring salmonella outbreaks in the past year, Sweden’s main farming news outlet, ATL, said Wednesday.

Swedish authorities have tried to clean infected hen houses at the southern Sweden company. “It was not successful and now that we have re-infection, we needed to do something different,” Katharina Gielen, the board’s head of infection control, told ATL.

It was unclear how many chickens would be killed. There was no immediate comment from CA Cedergren.

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Posted in Salmonella, Salmonella in Eggs

Taiwan – One more dead in Taipei food poisoning outbreak

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Focus Taiwan

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) One more patient died in the recent food poisoning outbreak at the Xinyi branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam in Taipei, bringing the total number of deaths to three, Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Saturday.

As of Friday, 35 people were reported to have fallen ill after dining at the Xinyi restaurant from March 18-24, including two deaths reported in late March.

The latest death was one of the four severe cases under intensive care. The patient died of multiple organ failure despite having received treatment that utilized the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life-support system, Wang said.

Taipei Medical University Hospital said in a text message that the patient was transferred to the hospital on March 24, and died Saturday despite being given full treatment.

According to Wang, it was clear that this incident was a case of Bongkrekic acid-led poisoning that occurred within a specific time and space.

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Posted in Bongkrek acid, Burkholderia gladioli, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Poisoning

Philippines – Suspected food poisoning downs 80 people in South Upi

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Minda News

Eighty people who attended a Teduray tribal wedding reception Thursday in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur were rushed to two hospitals after they suffered severe stomach pain and vomiting.

Dr. Mohammad Ariff Baguindali, chief of Integrated Provincial Health Office of Maguindanao said that until late afternoon on Thursday rescue teams and health officials were busy attending to the patients at Rural Health Unit Hospital in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur and Datu Blah Sinsuat District Hospital in Upi, Maguindanao del Norte.

“Sixty-five persons were sent to RHU South Upi and 15 to Datu Blah Hospital,” Baguindali said.

Based on the initial findings of the health officials, a spoiled chicken dish cooked in spices and coconut milk as its main ingredient called “beniton” could have triggered the food poisoning.

Baguindali said the intense day heat could have spoiled the tribe’s specialty dish. He noted that it was cooked in the morning and eaten in the late afternoon.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Poisoning

Belgium – BACON BURGER (1pc, 2 pcs or 12pcs) – Salmonella

Posted on April 29, 2024 by | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Burger Norenca

Norenca NV is withdrawing the item below from sale and recalling it from consumers due to the possible presence of Salmonella.

Norenca asks its customers not to consume this product and to return it to the point of sale.

Product Description :

– Product name: BACON BURGER (1pc, 2 pcs or 12pcs)
– Batch numbers: 02417113 and 02417114
– Expiration dates (DLC): 04/29/2024 and 04/30/2024
– Weight: 1 x 140g, 2 x 140g, 12 x 140g
– Sales period: since 04/24/2023

Information for consumers

Possible symptoms of a food infection caused by Salmonella are as follows: fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, within 12 to 48 hours after consuming the contaminated food. The risk of infection is higher in the elderly, children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
People who have consumed this product and who present this type of symptoms are invited to consult their doctor without delay and report this consumption.

For further information , please contact:
NORENCA NV     
2440 GEEL
info@norenca.be
014/58.45.11

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Posted in afsca, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Salmonella