Number of UK cases of salmonella nearing 500 | News UK

Almost 500 people are now ill with salmonella as UK authorities identify two new clusters of infection.

Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the outbreak ‘may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK’.

Two people are now said to have died as cases have risen to 474, after two new clusters were discovered.

Some cases date back a year, but all have been linked to almost genetically identical bacteria, suggesting a common food source.

Salmonella outbreaks have been found around Europe, with cases in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The over 100 cases in the Netherlands have been linked to chicken rather than eggs, according to investigations.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) previously said: ‘The investigation done in the Netherlands in 2026 pointed towards chicken meat, although it is based on a small number of patient interviews.’

Investigations go as far back as August 2025, with the majority of UK cases in London, Yorkshire and Humber, although cases have been found in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland too.

Over a third of those affected have needed hospital care, with ages of patients ranging from babies to those in their 90s.

Most get better with treatment and of the almost 500 cases, only two deaths have been linked to salmonella.

This outbreak involves a few specific, near-identical genetic clusters called t5.9411, t5.9765, and t0.24068, with the deaths linked to the first two.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said that there is ‘no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected’.

Eggs with the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are safe to eat, with a strict salmonella vaccination standard in place for hens.

Prof Ian Young from the Food Standards Agency said: ‘We continue to work closely with the UK Health Security Agency and other partners to investigate.

‘The exact causes of these outbreaks have not yet been identified, but investigations so far have identified links to imported eggs. There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.’

Will Raw, chair of the NFU Poultry Board, described the news that the serious outbreak was being linked to eggs from abroad as ‘hugely concerning’.

He said: ‘This undermines the excellent work British egg producers have undertaken over decades, adhering to the highest standards, abiding by rigorous testing and building a world-leading reputation.

‘Food produced to standards that would be illegal in the UK is still being allowed into our market. This simply cannot be allowed to continue.’

The UKHSA said: ‘We will continue to follow up cases and investigate any further common sources if they come to light.’

Symptoms of salmonella include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever, developing within the first 72 hours of being infected.

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