The number of victims in the UK Salmonella outbreak -linked to melons- has almost doubled. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Public Health England (PHE) are investigating the incident with 99 people sick since April. It was previously known that 52 people were ill in the country. Investigations are focusing on the supply chain of galia, cantaloupe and honeydew melons from Honduras and Costa Rica.
The FSA is working with trade associations and retail businesses to get information relevant to the outbreak. A quick rise in confirmed infections occurred in the week commencing May 24. Initial advice from the FSA warned about consuming whole melons from Brazil but further investigations including analysis of the food chain and testing has shown that product from Brazil is unlikely to be involved.
As of late May, 11 other countries are also affected by the same outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup. Patients have been reported in Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Switzerland.
