One Brit has died in an E. coli outbreak linked to artisan cheese.
At least thirty people had been sickened by a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug linked to a dairy manufacturer near Preston.
Safety chiefs have urged the public not to eat four varieties of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese, made using raw cow’s milk. Another type slapped with the same alert, made by the same dairy farm, is sold in Waitrose.
Some might also have been gifted unknowingly in festive hampers, officials say.
Health chiefs are still probing the outbreak to determine whether any other sources could be to blame.
The outbreak has affected children as young as seven. MailOnline understands the death was reported in Scotland.
Four varieties of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese have been urgently recalled and slapped with a ‘do not eat’ alert over contamination fears. Pictured: A generic shot taken from the Lancashire-based cheesemaker’s website
Symptoms vary from mild to bloody diarrhoea, the UK Health Security Agency says. Vomiting, fever and stomach cramps are other tell-tale signs. But, in severe cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) did not reveal the age of the patient who died.
The body, which is tasked with thwarting any infectious disease threats, said the ages of the affected patients ranged from ‘seven to 81’.
All tested positive for a specific strain called 0145, with tests suggesting it was more severe than usual.
STEC, or shiga toxin-producing E. coli, is spread by eating contaminated foods, such as raw leafy vegetables or undercooked meat.
The very infectious bacteria can also be spread by touching infected animals or their faeces and coming into contact with other people who are sick.
Waitrose & Partners No 1 Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese sold in 200g packs is being recalled over fears it could case food poisoning following the E. coli outbreak. This comes after four varieties of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese were urgently recalled and slapped with a ‘do not eat’ alert over contamination fears
Symptoms vary from mild to bloody diarrhoea, the UKHSA says. Vomiting, fever and stomach cramps are other tell-tale signs.
But in up to 15 per cent of cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.
Children under the age of five are most commonly affected by HUS, but it can also affect other vulnerable groups, including the elderly and immunocompromised.
UKHSA chiefs said people should take extra care to both avoid infection, and if hit by the bug, passing it on to others.
Amy Douglas, UKHSA’s incident director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety, said: ‘There have been at least 30 confirmed cases of this specific outbreak strain of STEC in the UK.
‘If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing it on to family and friends over the festive period.
‘Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will help stop infections from spreading.
‘Don’t prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop.’
Among the varieties of cheese recalled include Mrs Kirkham’s Mild and Creamy Lancashire, Tasty Lancashire, Mature Lancashire and Smoked Lancashire varieties.
The manufacturer has since recalled all of its products as a precaution.
Yesterday Waitrose also recalled its artisan No.1 Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire product.
Officials noted that the cheeses are sometimes sold as a full block or served as individual portions and may have been provided as part of a hamper.
In some cases it is also sold as part of a charcutier grazing platter.
The FSA first issued a ‘precautionary’ recall alert of the four Mrs Kirkham products on Christmas Eve.
At the time, the FSA said further recalls of other products might be issued as investigations continue.
Mrs Kirkham’s said: ‘We are working very closely with our local Environmental Health Officers and the FSA to fully understand the situation, and whether our products have been correctly implicated.
‘This recall relates to new testing techniques designed to better identify potentially dangerous strains of Shiga Toxin producing E. coli.
‘Unfortunately, these new testing techniques are not currently industry standard.’
The statement also said that due to many laboratories currently being closed over the festive period the business had been left in ‘limbo’.
‘We will be suspending all orders until investigations are completed and we have some answers,’ it added.
Tina Potter, head of incidents and the FSA, said: ‘We are aware this recalled product may be popular over the festive period, especially as it has been sold as part of a Christmas gift hamper.
‘So we are urging consumers to check whether they have bought or been gifted this product.’
Health chiefs have investigated three other STEC outbreaks since October, including a different strain of 0145.
Each outbreak affected between 15 and 44 people, officials said.
Cattle are the biggest reservoir of the most common type of STEC seen in the UK — a strain known as 0157.
Around 600 cases of the strain are reported each year on average.
But the bug has also been found in deer, rabbits, horses, pigs and wild birds.
Large outbreaks have been linked with foodborne transmission.
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