Three patients dead after listeria outbreak linked to pre-packed sandwiches

Three hospital patients have died in England following an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

Sandwiches from The Good Food Chain have been withdrawn and production has stopped after produce from its supplier tested positive for listeria, said a statement from Public Health England (PHE).

The supplier, North Country Cooked Meats, and distributor North Country Quality Foods have also voluntarily ceased production.

In a brief statement, North Country Cooked Meats said it was “co-operating fully” with investigations and would release further statement in due course.

Listeria was discovered in six “seriously ill” patients in hospital, three of who have since died, said PHE.

The three people who died were patients at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool’s Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

There are currently no reported cases in Scotland or Wales.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE, confirmed all six cases had been discovered inside health organisations in England, and that “any risk to the public is low”.

He added: “Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died.

“We, along with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), colleagues in local authorities and the NHS have worked quickly to determine the likely cause of this outbreak and taken action to reduce the risk to the public’s health.”

Colin Sullivan, chief operating officer at the FSA, said the agency was working with local authorities to “minimise the risk” to patients.

He said: “The FSA will continue to investigate how the outbreak occurred and if further steps are required to protect vulnerable groups.”

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis – a form of food poisoning – and can be found in unpasteurised milk and chilled foods, such as pate, certain cheeses, cold meats and smoked salmon.

It is usually not dangerous for healthy individuals, but can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

But for people with pre-existing health conditions and weaker immune systems, the infection can prove more serious.

It is most likely to be found in pregnant women, young babies and the elderly.

Aintree University Hospital said in a statement that it was made aware of “this supply chain issue” on 24 May, and had “immediately” revoked the products.

A longer statement from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that at least two of the six people who contracted the infection were patients at its hospital.

It added: “Although the risk of infection was extremely small, as soon as the Trust was informed of the findings of PHE’s investigation, a decision was made to remove the sandwiches that may have been affected from the patient menu as a precautionary measure, and an alternative supplier was established.”

Both hospitals have said they are working together with authorities in the ongoing investigation.

(c) Sky News 2019: Three patients dead after listeria outbreak linked to pre-packed sandwiches