Four more affected by E.coli outbreak centred on butcher

Four more reports of E.coli O157 infections in the North East have been received by health officials in the last 24 hours

This brings the total number of people affected to 12, of which five are in hospital.

Four of the people in hospital are children aged between eight and fourteen. The fifth person in hospital is an adult.

Although a definite source has not yet been identified, many of the affected people are known to have eaten pre-cooked meats or savoury products supplied by Robinson’s butcher and caterer who have shops in Wingate and Billingham.

Many of those affected are known to have eaten food purchased from Robinson’s shops before control measures were introduced on 15 July.

Health protection experts from Public Health England and environmental health teams from both County Durham and Stockton councils are continuing to investigate all possible sources of the outbreak.

As a precaution local residents in the south of County Durham and North Tees have been advised not to eat any cold pre-cooked meats or savouries bought since 25 June from Robinson’s butchers and caterers in Wingate and Billingham, and to throw out any they may still have in their fridge or freezers.

E.coli O157 is a serious bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure.