E Coli :: Update statement on E coli O157 outbreak

There continues to be no new confirmed cases of E coli O157 related to the Paisley outbreak and the number of confirmed cases remains at nine.

The Outbreak Control Team met earlier today and, following further detailed investigations with confirmed cases, have established that all cases now have a link to the Morrison?s store at Falside Road in Paisley.

The OCT have today concluded that the Morrison?s store in Lonend, Paisley is no longer linked with this outbreak.

Investigations continue to try and identify the most likely cause of the outbreak linked with the Falside Road store.

A 72 year-old man is serious but stable at the Victoria Infirmary and a 70 year-old Paisley woman remains stable in hospital in the Republic of Ireland.

The other six individuals affected are recovering at home.

Dr Syed Ahmed, Chair of the Outbreak Control Team, said: ?As part of initial investigations and interviews with those affected the Outbreak Control Team found evidence linking those involved to the purchase of cold cooked meat from the delicatessen counters of both the Lonend and Falside stores in Paisley.

?Further subsequent investigations have now ruled out the link with the Lonend store leaving us to concentrate on a possible single source for this outbreak.

?Work to identify the source of the outbreak continues to be a top priority. Public Health Officials and Environmental Health Officers have been working closely with Morrisons who have been making every effort to support our investigation.?

While there is still no conclusive evidence, we believe that cold cooked meats from Morrison?s Falside Road branch is still the most likely vehicle of infection and no other food, from Morrison?s or elsewhere, has been implicated so far.

Anyone who has consumed sliced cold meats from the Falside branch up until the point when Morrisons agreed to cease selling cold meats from the deli counter and who is experiencing symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhoea (often bloody), nausea and fever should contact a GP or NHS 24 (08454 242424).

The Outbreak Control team will meet again on Friday morning (24th August), after which a further update will be issued.


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