1 dead, dozens ill in UK salmonella outbreak linked to imported eggs

One person has died and 207 others have fallen ill in a salmonella outbreak in the UK that health officials believe may be linked to food made with imported eggs, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said Tuesday.

In an update, the UKHSA said it launched an investigation after detecting an increase in salmonella cases in May caused by a single strain identified through whole genome sequencing (WGS).

A total of 207 confirmed cases were detected between Aug. 11, 2025 and Aug. 1, 2026, with 206 of them reported this year, according to the agency.

All cases were identified within the same five-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) linkage cluster based on WGS, indicating a likely common source of contamination.

Most cases — 199 of the 207 — were reported in England, including 47 in London and 38 in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Those affected ranged from babies to people as old as 90, while more than a third required hospital treatment. Two patients developed serious blood poisoning, according to the agency.

The UKHSA noted, however, that most people recover without treatment.

"We're working with Food Standards Agency and other public health agencies to investigate a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK," said Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA.

Salmonella can be found in a number of food sources, including raw or undercooked poultry, meat and eggs.