What to do if you think you've been affected by the E. coli outbreak

After the recent major sandwich recalls from supermarkets, many are now worried about the E. coli outbreak and we combat infection from our own homes, and what to do if we are experiencing symptoms ourselves. While most strains of E. Coli are safe, the bacteria, usually found in cattle, may lead to food poisoning and can make you seriously ill it can also be transmitted through contaminated food, it can also be passed on from person to person, spreading the illness.

E. coli bacteria can be found in fresh produce as wastewater from cattle farms can drain into the fields where they are grown, contaminating the growing produce. However, it can easily travel from person to person, especially when infected adults and children do not wash their hands properly.

According to the government's website, symptoms that you might be facing if you are infected with E. coli are: “severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.” It recommends that: “If you are unwell, have eaten salad leaves recently and are concerned about any symptoms, follow NHS.uk guidance on when to seek help and the steps you can take to avoid further spread to family and friends.”

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Linden Jack, Head of Food, Feed and Incidents said: “Consumers should follow advice provided by the water companies and their local authority. To keep food safe, people in the affected areas should only use pre-boiled and cooled water to make ice cubes and to wash fruit and vegetables, or any other foods that are washed and eaten without further cooking. It is also important to make sure that ready-to-eat foods do not come into contact with contaminated water.”

Anglian Water commented that, “The most common cause of water quality issues is in fact, poor tap hygiene. The damp and humid conditions of a bathroom are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, like E.coli. What’s more, the bathroom tap is often the first thing people touch after they go to the toilet. In the kitchen, there is a similar issue but this time, it’s often caused by washing raw meat in the sink and letting pets drink out of the tap, causing bacteria to grow in the tap head. Regularly disinfecting them with a bleach solution will keep bugs at bay.”

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, which checks to ensure water is safe to use said that “A single E.coli result does not mean that there are faeces in the water or that you will become ill. By international standards, drinking water in England and Wales is exceptionally safe. The UK is one of only six nations in the world with the maximum score possible in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index.”

Most healthy adults recover from illness stemming from E. coli within a week, but this can depend on age, and how steely your immune system might be. Advice is to continue washing your hands thoroughly and disinfecting your taps to avoid contamination within your home.

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