UK: E.Coli Outbreak Linked to Salad Claims One Life

London: Amid the ongoing E.Coli outbreak, one person in England died, the UK Health Security Agency has said.

The agency added that the person died in May and had underlying health conditions, teh agency stated. 

Another person in England died within 28 days of being affected with current strain. It is reported that he also had underlying conditions. UKHSA says information suggests only "one of these deaths is likely linked to their STEC infection".

The outbreak occurred after people consumed supermarket sandwiches containing salad leaves. 

As a precautionary measure, several food manufacturers removed some of their products from shelves. 

The Food Standards Agency stated lettuce is the probable sources, as per tests. 

Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA told BBC that earlier this month, FSA confimed that several sandwich manufacturers had taken precautionary action to withdraw and recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls after food chain and epidemiological links enabled us to narrow down a wide range of foods to a type of lettuce used in sandwich products as the likely cause of the outbreak.

There have been 275 confirmed cases of E. coli (STEC) O145 across the UK as on June 25. 
The overall number of people affected could still rise because some samples from patients have yet to be tested, experts say, although rates are slowing.

Data from 249 cases shows half needed hospital care.

E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in human and animal intestines.

Some types are harmless but others can make people seriously ill.

The variety in this outbreak, Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145, can attack the gut's lining.

Symptoms usually take a few days to show  and can include:
Diarrhoea that can be bloody
Stomach cramps
Fever
Vomiting

Most people recover well but some - such as young children or people with underlying health conditions - can become very unwell.