Three hospital patients die after listeria outbreak linked to sandwiches
Three patients have died in hospitals in the UK following an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.
Sandwiches and salads linked to the cases have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain, has voluntarily ceased production while the investigation continues, Public Health England said.
The cases of listeria were found in six seriously ill patients in England, three of those patients have died.
Those who died were at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.
No further details of the patients’ identities have been released.
The sandwiches and salads affected are no longer being produced while investigations continue and the affected products were withdrawn from hospitals when the links to the listeria infections were first identified.
The Good Food Chain had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria and has since voluntarily ceased production while the investigation continues.
Listeria infection in healthy people is usually either unnoticed or may cause very mild illness.
However, it can have more serious consequences for some people, particularly those with pre-existing health conditions and pregnant women.
“We have taken action along with local authorities to minimise the risk based on the evidence so far,” Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at the FSA said
“The FSA will continue to investigate how the outbreak occurred and if further steps are required to protect vulnerable groups,” he said.
Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE, said the cases were isolated to hospitals.
“To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations and any risk to the public is low.”
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