UK Egg Salmonella Cases Reach 207 as London Records Highest Total

UK egg salmonella cases have risen to 207 in a nationwide outbreak that has been linked to imported eggs, with London recording more confirmed infections than any other English region. One death has been associated with the outbreak and health authorities are continuing to trace the source of contamination.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed 207 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis connected to the outbreak, with infections detected between 11 August 2025 and 1 August 2026. Of these, 206 occurred during 2026.

Most cases have been recorded in England, where 199 people have been affected. Six cases have been identified in Scotland, with one each in Wales and Northern Ireland.

London has emerged as the most affected English region, accounting for 47 confirmed cases, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber with 38.

The people affected range from babies to adults aged 90, while the median age among confirmed cases is 30.

What Is the Latest on UK Egg Salmonella Cases?

The latest UKHSA investigation has found that all 207 confirmed infections belong to the same genetic cluster of Salmonella Enteritidis, suggesting that the illnesses may share a common source.

Health authorities first identified an increase in cases on 26 May 2026 after whole genome sequencing highlighted infections caused by a single strain.

The current position is:

Outbreak information	Latest figure
Confirmed UK cases	207
Cases in England	199
London cases	47
Yorkshire and Humber cases	38
Scotland cases	6
Wales cases	1
Northern Ireland cases	1
Deaths associated with outbreak	1
Age range	Under 1 to 90

The UKHSA says most people have experienced gastrointestinal illness that resolves without serious complications. However, among patients for whom relevant information was available, 38% were admitted to hospital because of their salmonellosis symptoms, and two people developed bloodstream infections. One death has been associated with the outbreak.

Are Imported Eggs Behind the Salmonella Outbreak?

Imported eggs are currently the strongest potential source identified by investigators, although authorities have stressed that the exact origin of the contamination has not yet been confirmed.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), UKHSA and other public health bodies are investigating the food supply chain.

Officials have identified links to eggs imported from outside the UK, particularly eggs supplied to food-service and catering businesses such as restaurants and cafés. The FSA says there is currently no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.

This distinction is important because the investigation does not currently indicate that eggs produced throughout Britain generally pose a new risk to consumers.

Food-chain investigations are continuing to establish exactly where contamination occurred and whether additional control measures are required.

Why Are London Salmonella Cases Particularly Significant?

London has recorded 47 cases, making it the English region with the highest confirmed total in the current outbreak.

Yorkshire and the Humber has the second-highest number with 38 cases. Together, the two regions represent a substantial proportion of England’s 199 confirmed infections.

The figures do not necessarily mean contaminated eggs originated in London. The outbreak involves food supply chains that can distribute ingredients to businesses across different parts of the country.

Investigators have interviewed affected people to determine where they ate and what foods they consumed before becoming ill.

Of 114 cases for which investigators had completed questionnaires, 95 people, or 83%, reported eating food prepared outside their home during the week before their symptoms began.

That evidence has increased the focus on restaurants, cafés and other catering establishments.

Have Restaurants or Cafés Been Linked to the Outbreak?

UKHSA interviews identified five food businesses that had been visited independently by at least two infected people during the week before symptoms appeared.

Those businesses were linked to 24 cases in total.

Among those 24 people, 11 reported eating dishes containing eggs. Investigators found that the businesses received eggs from several sources, including importers.

The businesses have not been publicly named.

Possible cross-contamination events were also identified at two premises. The FSA has been working with local authority environmental health teams to provide food-safety guidance where problems have been identified.

Investigators therefore have several factors to examine before determining precisely how individual infections occurred.

Is There a Salmonella Risk From UK-Produced Eggs?

There is currently no identified link between the outbreak and eggs or poultry produced in the UK, according to the official investigation.

Jacquelyn McCormick, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said investigations have so far identified imported eggs used mainly by food-service and catering establishments as a potential source.

The agency’s advice on eating eggs has not changed. Eggs that are handled hygienically and thoroughly cooked should not present a food-safety risk.

Consumers should therefore avoid interpreting the current investigation as evidence that all eggs sold or served in Britain are unsafe.

Is the 2026 Outbreak Connected to Previous Salmonella Cases?

Scientists have found an important genetic connection between the current outbreak and an earlier UK salmonella outbreak.

The Salmonella Enteritidis strain involved in the latest infections is phylogenetically linked to a 2025 outbreak that was also associated with imported eggs, according to UKHSA.

UKHSA, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Food Standards Agency and authorities across the devolved nations are now examining information from both outbreaks.

The aim is to understand whether there is an ongoing risk associated with particular imported egg supply chains and determine whether preventative action is required.

Health officials are also exchanging information with European authorities to establish whether genetically related salmonella infections have been detected elsewhere.

Are Salmonella Cases Increasing in England?

The latest outbreak comes against a backdrop of relatively high salmonella infection levels.

UKHSA figures showed 10,406 confirmed salmonella cases in England during 2025, slightly above the 10,389 recorded during 2024 and the highest annual total in a decade.

The trend continued into early 2026.

There were 2,020 confirmed non-typhoidal salmonella laboratory reports in England during the first quarter of 2026, representing a 27.2% increase from the 1,588 reports recorded during the first quarter of 2025.

These figures cover salmonella infections from a variety of possible sources and should not be interpreted as cases belonging solely to the current egg-related investigation.

Salmonella can be transmitted through contaminated poultry, meat, eggs, dairy products and fresh produce, as well as through cross-contamination or, less commonly, contact with another infected person.

What Are the Symptoms of Salmonella?

Salmonella infection commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms including:

• Diarrhoea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Feeling generally unwell

Most infections are relatively mild and resolve without specific treatment. UK government guidance says salmonella illness commonly lasts around four to seven days.

Young children, older people and those with weakened immune systems can face a greater risk of severe illness.

The current outbreak demonstrates that complications are possible, with two confirmed patients developing bloodstream infections.

What Should People Do if They Think They Have Salmonella?

People experiencing food-poisoning symptoms should focus on remaining hydrated, particularly where diarrhoea or vomiting is present.

The NHS says most food poisoning can be managed at home and normally improves within a week. Drinking sufficient fluids is particularly important to reduce the risk of dehydration.

Medical advice should be sought where symptoms are severe or persistent. NHS guidance recommends contacting NHS 111 in circumstances including an inability to keep fluids down, bloody diarrhoea, continued signs of dehydration, diarrhoea lasting more than seven days or vomiting lasting more than two days.

Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, also advised anyone concerned about salmonella symptoms to contact their GP or out-of-hours service.

How Can People Reduce Their Risk of Salmonella?

Good food hygiene remains one of the most effective ways of reducing salmonella transmission.

People should:

• Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet and before preparing food
• Cook food properly
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separated
• Clean utensils and preparation surfaces carefully
• Avoid preparing food for other people while experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting

Cross-contamination can occur when equipment, hands or surfaces exposed to contaminated ingredients subsequently come into contact with other foods.

UKHSA has specifically reminded people affected by symptoms to avoid handling food for others wherever possible.

What Happens Next With the UK Egg Salmonella Investigation?

The investigation into UK egg salmonella cases remains active.

Authorities are attempting to trace the origin of the suspected imported eggs, understand how contaminated products entered the food-service supply chain and determine whether the current outbreak shares underlying sources with the imported-egg outbreak identified in 2025.

The UKHSA has emphasised that the evidence collected so far does not identify UK-produced eggs or poultry as the source.

For Londoners, the investigation is particularly relevant because the capital currently has the largest number of confirmed cases in England.

Further case numbers or food-safety measures could be announced as epidemiological testing and supply-chain tracing continue.