Salmonella outbreak in UK leaves one dead and hundreds ill

One person has died and hundreds have been left ill with food poisoning after a salmonella outbreak, health officials say.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the salmonella outbreak "may be linked to eggs imported" from outside Britain.

From 11 August last year to the start of this month, the agency said 207 cases had been confirmed - 199 in England, six in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

More than a third of people affected in the outbreak were admitted to hospital, while two developed potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections, the UKHSA added.

Those affected include babies and patients as old as 90.

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Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, said it was working with the Food Standards Agency and other public health agencies to investigate the outbreak.

The UKHSA added that the outbreak appeared to be connected to a previous spate of cases in 2025, which they said was also linked to imported eggs.

Earlier this year, the UKHSA said salmonella cases were at a decade-high in England, increasingly slightly from 10,389 in 2024 to 10,406 in 2025.

It noted in May that despite the rise, the figures "remain broadly comparable" to the year prior.

Symptoms of salmonella, which is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food, generally include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting or fever.

The UKHSA said those in vulnerable groups may experience more severe illness such as bloodstream infections, infection of metastatic sites, sepsis and multiorgan failure.

Ms Charles said: "There are simple steps to prevent the spread of salmonella: wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook food thoroughly, and if you have any symptoms, avoid handling food for others where possible."

(c) Sky News 2026: Salmonella outbreak in UK leaves one dead and hundreds ill