Public Health England And FSA Investigating Concerns
Specialist lawyers representing victims of illness outbreaks in the UK and abroad have called for authorities to work quickly to determine the cause of a Salmonella outbreak which is believed to have affected people in Hampshire, London, the West Midlands, Merseyside and Cheshire.Public Health England (PHE) has launched an investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis which is thought to have affected 156 victims.
PHE is collaborating with the Food Standards Agency to consider the cause of the issues, with genetic tests suggesting that the illnesses may have emerged from a single source.
Irwin Mitchell’s illness lawyers specialise in helping victims of outbreaks in the UK and abroad gain justice regarding the problems they have faced.
They notably act for 14 people who have suffered severe gastric illness following a Salmonella outbreak which has potentially been linked to The Real China restaurant in Eastleigh, near Southampton, which voluntarily closed for seven days in July after the problems emerged, two people who fell ill after purchasing food from the Woks Cooking takeaway in Kirkby, near Liverpool and for dozens of victims of a Salmonella outbreak at the Newcastle Spice Festival last year.
Amandeep Dhillon, a leading Public Health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said:
Expert Opinion
It is very serious and worrying to hear reports of the problems confirmed by Public Health England and it is vital that health authorities in all of the areas affected work quickly and thoroughly to investigate the cause of these issues.
“We have received a growing number of enquiries related to Salmonella outbreaks here in the UK in recent weeks, which is a massive concern considering the huge impact that such an illness can have on victims – often leaving them with long-term health issues from which they may never fully recover.
“The news that seemingly isolated outbreaks of salmonella may in fact be linked is a clearly a major concern and every effort must now be made to thoroughly examine the circumstances of the problems to try and identify any potential sources.
“Due to our experience in this area, we know that all of those affected will be desperate for answers and it is vital that authorities act promptly to ensure that they have the best opportunity to find them.” Amandeep Dhillon - Partner