Over 300 sickened in record salmonella outbreak tied to 2 million eggs
- A Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to Belgian egg producer Laerco BV has infected at least 300 people across nine European countries, with severe symptoms forcing many victims ranging from infants to a 96-year-old into hospital care.
- Regulators traced the bacterial strain to dust samples inside chicken coops and closed the entire facility after finding the contamination had spread beyond its initial containment to a second poultry house.
- Mass egg recalls have been initiated across Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the Czech Republic for eggs bearing producer codes 2-BE-1073-01 through 04 and shelf-life dates through September 4.
- Health authorities warn that the official total of 300 cases is likely an underestimate due to delays in whole genome sequencing, adding that contaminated eggs show no normal signs of spoilage in appearance, smell, or taste. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include severe fever, vomiting, and dehydration, forcing many to seek hospital care.
- Health officials in the United Kingdom are investigating a separate severe Salmonella cluster linked to imported eggs that has caused 207 confirmed cases, one death, and a 38 percent hospitalization rate.
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