One person dies after contaminated cheese outbreak with 11 in hospital
A person has died and 11 are in hospital from food poisoning linked to an outbreak of E.coli in cheese.
The UK Health Security Agency said there are "at least 30 confirmed cases of this specific outbreak strain” at this time. Those who fell ill are confirmed to have picked up Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC). An investigation has been launched to determine the connection between the cases and unpasteurised cheeses made by a company in the UK.
In a statement, the UKHSA confirmed that the person who died was from Scotland. The statement read: "One death has been associated with this outbreak. Epidemiological and food chain investigations have identified links between some of the identified cases and a number of unpasteurised cheeses produced by a business in England."
All of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese products purchased between October 1 and December 24 have been recalled as a precaution. Officials have warned people to look out for Mrs Kirkham's in some Christmas hampers.
Shoppers at Waitrose have also been told not to eat No 1 Waitrose and Partners Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese with use by dates from October 30, 2023, to January 16, 2024.
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UKHSA has warned the public not to eat these cheeses:
- Mrs Kirkham’s Mild & Creamy Lancashire
- Mrs Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire
- Mrs Kirkham’s Mature Lancashire
- Mrs Kirkham’s Smoked Lancashire
No 1 Waitrose and Partners Farmhouse Kirkham's Lancashire cheese
Among the 30 patients affected, fifteen are female and 15 are male, with ages ranging from 7 to 81 and a median of 35 years old. A dozen have reported bloody diarrhoea, 11 have been hospitalised, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious and life-threatening condition mainly affecting the kidneys that can be fatal.
The Food Standards Agency urged anyone who bought the cheeses to refrain from eating the product, thoroughly clean any surfaces, utensils and equipment it may have touched and make sure that fridges are kept at 5°C or below to “limit the growth of any harmful bacteria”.
Amy Douglas, UKHSA’s incident director, said it was vital that people washed their hands “with soap and warm water” and used “bleach-based products to clean surfaces” to help stop infections from spreading.
"If you are unwell, you should avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these settings,” she said."Do not return to work or school, once term restarts, until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped.”
In a statement, Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese Ltd said it was recalling all cheese bought between October 1 and December 24 and was “working very closely” with local environmental health officers and the FSA to “fully understand the situation and whether our products have been correctly implicated”.
Waitrose has confirmed to The Mirror that its Christmas hampers are not affected. The chain emphasised that the hampers were sold by other retailers. A Waitrose spokesperson said: “We are recalling our No. 1 Waitrose Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese as a precaution due to the possible presence of E.coli bacteria. This is part of a broader recall by this cheesemaker and we are very sorry for the inconvenience.”
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