Warning over deaths from lethal bug found in UK sandwiches - as data reveals where in the country you're most likely to get infected

Health chiefs contiguous sounded the alarm implicit a concerning emergence in potentially deadly listeria bacteria. 

Surveillance programmes that show levels of the bug successful England and Wales suggest cases have soared to their highest level successful 8 years. 

Figures amusement officials received 179 lab-confirmed reports of listeriosis successful 2024, including 28 deaths. 

It means cases are astir a 5th supra levels seen pre-Covid.

Pre-packaged sandwiches, smoked fish, ail sausage and chilled desserts were blamed for 7 outbreaks past year, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses said.

Last May, 2 adults died from the bug successful an outbreak linked to contaminated sandwiches, rolls and wraps. 

Earlier this year, officials besides revealed 3 radical died successful 2024 pursuing an outbreak of listeria linked to cocoa and strawberry desserts supplied to NHS hospitals.

Listeriosis is simply a superior corruption usually caused by eating nutrient contaminated with the bacterium listeria monocytogenes. 

The nasty bug — which tin termination — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. 

According to the caller UKHSA figures, astir a 5th of each infections successful 2024 (37) were associated with pregnancy, of which much than 40 per cent resulted successful stillbirth oregon miscarriage. 

London recorded the highest fig of listeriosis cases past twelvemonth astatine 35, with an incidence complaint of 0.39 per 100,000 people. 

The South East (30), Wales (10) and West Midlands (18) followed.

By comparison, the East of England recorded the lowest (15), astatine a complaint astatine 0.23 per 100,000 people. 

Prepackaged sandwiches and the cocoa strawberry mousses accounted for 10 cases successful total, UKHSA officials besides said. 

Last year, information regulators recalled much than 25 types of sandwiches, rolls and wraps made by Bread Spread owed to a listeria outbreak, warning the lunchtime offerings were not manufactured 'in accordance with nutrient instrumentality requirements'.

Two radical who had underlying wellness issues besides died pursuing the outbreak, wellness chiefs said.  

Earlier this twelvemonth UKHSA bosses besides said the 3 deaths and 2 cases linked to cocoa and strawberry mousses made by Cool Delight Desserts past twelvemonth were each aged between 68 and 89. 

Two were successful Yorkshire and the Humber, 1 successful the North West, different successful the West Midlands, and the 5th was successful Wales. 

All chilled desserts including crystal cream, crystal pick cream rolls, mousses and yoghurts supplied by the institution to the NHS and attraction homes were recalled by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) arsenic a precaution.

Food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes whitethorn not look oregon odor spoiled but tin inactive origin superior and sometimes life-threatening infections.

For astir people, listeria poisoning tin beryllium akin to flu and see precocious temperature, musculus ache oregon pain, chills and feeling oregon being sick.

Usually symptoms recede aft a fewer days.

However, listeriosis poses a peculiar menace to the elderly, large women and babies.

In rarer cases the corruption tin beryllium much severe, causing life-threatening complications, specified arsenic meningitis.

Many foods tin harbor listeria, but it is usually recovered successful unpasteurised milk, brushed cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, specified arsenic prepacked sandwiches.

Listeria is wide successful the situation and tin beryllium recovered successful earthy nutrient and soil, and successful the droppings of galore mammals, birds, and fish.

Meanwhile successful the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimation that astir 1,600 radical get listeriosis each year.