Why don't they tell us the E-coli source so we can avoid it?

[INeedNewShoes]

We're being warned about this current strain of E-coli. It sounds as though they've learned enough about the source to have an idea what it is. Why not tell the public so we can reduce our chance of getting it?

Of particular concern for the elderly, young children and anyone immunocompromised.

@MummyJ12 thanks. I'll buy dairy that I've check is pasteurised and wash my salad. The only thing I routinely wash is celery when it's muddy! I don't wash cucumber/radish/tomato etc and I don't was bagged rocket, but I should I suppose.

i don't eat meat (or fish, nor eggs) so that rules out quite a lot.

The news report I read said the youngest person to fall sick with this was 2, and the oldest 79 (though the majority of victims were young adults). Two years to 79 is quite a range so presumably it would have to be a product that a two year old would consume as well as adults. It might be possible at least to exclude some foods on this basis.

It can be passed person to person so not all cases will necessarily be from the source.

The two year old for example could have been infected from a parent.
Edited to lose the jargon!

Surely some of these people use online supermarkets for deliveries/loyalty cards in terrestrial shops.

I might get the days wrong, but I could have a pretty good stab at listing all that the family had eaten and where for the past fortnight (and that includes some nights away and school lunches).

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/07/warning-e-coli-cases-uk-shortage-environmental-health-staff?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I worked in epidemiology for 8 years - they don’t know yet but obviously will be actively gathering information to work out most likely source and checking typing is all the same.

Dh has just had a d and v bug and been very poorly. We’ve been trying to work out what’s eaten to the rest of the family. Nothing. Rest of the family have been fine. ,(waiting to find out whether it was ecoli or not).

@OhHelloMiss in that case- it's probably McDonald's !!

That does not surprise me in the slightest @JenniferBooth EHOs are poorly paid and not at all recognised for the important public health work that they do. Especially as what’s needed to qualify: A BSc (Hons) then also, professional log book, a professional interview and professional exams (that cost a fortune). The CIEH are rubbish. The food standards agency get all of the glory when things go right and EHOs get the flack when they don’t go right. Then you have the vast range of expertise including all approved premises, (manufacturing sites mainly), the usual inspections, plus demand for revisits because people want a better food hygiene rating, alongside all of the other jobs and demands. Including investigating outbreaks such as this E.Coli one. There is too much work, too little time. Constant changes in food premise ownership too.
There has been no investment in the profession for such a long time.

In Europe they have FVOs Food and Veterinary Officers, in all manufacturing sites. They are highly paid and have much less workload. EHOs are a dying breed and public health will suffer because of it.

Norovirus, probably and not from food. You don’t get vomiting symptoms with an E.Coli infection.

Eat fresh food they said
So much better for you than processed they said

Vast majority of the time it is so much better for us though to eat fresh stuff.

Slightly regretting the salad I had for lunch though as I'm definitely feeling paranoid about potential sources

If it's mostly affecting young adults that must narrow it down a bit.

It’s hard to know because unless you’re in front of the map with all of the confirmed cases and you can see the clusters….This is simply an example, but there could be a cluster in a university hall of residence which is swaying the figures. I genuinely don’t know anything about this outbreak but lots of things can look significant but be a red herring. It’s also important to note that the press won’t and don’t know half of it. It is imperative that they don’t at this moment in time as there could be legal implications.

Crap, never heard of this. This is making my anxiety go through the roof as someone who’s 17 weeks pregnant.

To be honest I'm so sick of how we're constantly lied to etc that it wouldn't surprise me if they actually had a fair idea but don't want to 'panic' the public also known as piss the manufacturer/food company off. So they'll just keep quiet and afterwards say we weren't 100% so couldn't say. Meanwhile a few vulnerable people will have died but hey ho ☹️

It’s more about jeopardising any legal action further down the line (against those responsible) and also protecting against litigation and huge cost to the taxpayer from innocent companies being blamed if they get it wrong and suing.

There will be recalls taking place I’m sure to protect the public if they have a fair idea so they will be taking steps, we just won’t know about them.

Yes you should- many hands that have may not been washed after using the toilet will have touched the fruit and veg!

Cook and prepare everything yourself, cook everything thoroughly and practice regular handwashing and be careful with cross contamination. Two stage cleaning on kitchen surfaces including a good food safe antibacterial (a clear sanitiser not coloured or scented, it will say on the bottle kills 99.9 bacteria on it).
Then you’ll be absolutely fine. Cook and prepare food before eating it, don’t leave it around.
Congratulations on your pregnancy.

YY @makeanddo I finally have a doctors appointment next Tuesday Im also awaiting the results of a FIT test. Im petrified over what to eat. I dont want to get sick and jeopardise this appointment. Im so sick of this third world shithole

They don't know what it is, of course they're not withholding information 🙄It's the UKHSA's job to identify and communicate an outbreak with the public, but they're still investigating the source. They probably have a pretty good idea, but testing possible sources to be certain takes a while.

It will almost certainly be dairy, fruit or salad.

It's like 100 cases out of how many millions of people living in the UK.
There's really nothing to worry about.

Government advice says vomiting is one of the symptoms https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-coli-advice-issued-amid-rise-in-cases

I think it's from tap water. I'm the only one drinking tap water in our family and I can't remember when I was that sick in my entire life. Spent 6 days vomiting, terrible diarrhea, brain fog, etc.