Health chiefs issue urgent warning as 10,000+ Brits struck down by vomiting bug that can KILL – with children and elderly most at risk from potentially fatal complications
Britain is in the grip of a food poisoning crisis after cases of the potentially deadly salmonella bug reached their highest levels in a decade, shocking new figures reveal.
More than 10,000 people were struck down with the vomiting and diarrhoea bug last year – a staggering 17.1% surge from 2023 – as health chiefs scrambled to issue urgent warnings about kitchen hygiene.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today revealed that salmonella infections jumped from 8,872 cases in 2023 to a terrifying 10,388 in 2024, marking the worst outbreak in ten years.
Even more alarming, campylobacter – another dangerous food poisoning bug – also surged by exactly 17.1%, rocketing from 60,055 cases to 70,352, with rates hitting nearly 120 reports per 100,000 people.
The killer lurking in your kitchen
Both bacteria are typically caught by eating contaminated food, including undercooked chicken, eggs, raw fruit and vegetables, and unpasteurised milk or cheese.
But here’s the truly frightening part: while most people recover within a week or two, salmonella can turn deadly if it enters the bloodstream, causing sepsis – a life-threatening reaction that kills 420 Americans each year.
Children under five, pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of developing severe complications that could prove fatal.
The symptoms are brutal: explosive diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), agonising stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and dehydration that can become dangerous within hours.
‘High levels of gastrointestinal infections’
Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director of Gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, warned: “Our extensive surveillance is showing high levels of gastrointestinal infections in England.
“These infections spread in many ways, including through contaminated food or water, contact with an infected person as well as contact with an infected animal or their environment.”
She urged Brits to take urgent precautions: “Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet or handling raw meat, before meals and after contact with animals or farms can prevent infections.
The shocking truth about chicken
Perhaps most terrifying is the revelation that one in 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store contains salmonella – meaning the Sunday roast could be harbouring a potentially deadly pathogen.
Experts warn that even a tiny amount of juice from raw chicken dripping onto other surfaces can contaminate everything it touches, turning your kitchen into a bacterial breeding ground.
The bacteria can survive on surfaces for hours or even days, meaning a single contaminated chopping board could infect an entire family’s meals.
Children bearing the brunt
In a particularly worrying development, children under 10 accounted for a shocking 21.5% of all salmonella cases – with their developing immune systems leaving them dangerously vulnerable.
Meanwhile, adults aged 50 to 79 made up 44% of all campylobacter reports, suggesting no age group is safe from the food poisoning epidemic.
The elderly face an especially grim outlook, with their weakened immune systems meaning a simple case of food poisoning could rapidly escalate into a life-threatening emergency.
When food poisoning turns deadly
While most people experience “just” a few days of misery, the consequences can be catastrophic for vulnerable groups.
If salmonella bacteria breach the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream, they can spread throughout the body, infecting vital organs including:
- The brain (causing meningitis)
- The bones (causing osteomyelitis)
- The heart valves
- The spinal cord
Without immediate antibiotic treatment, this systemic infection can prove fatal within days.
The hidden long-term damage
Even survivors aren’t always in the clear. A “small number” of salmonella victims develop reactive arthritis – a painful condition that can last months or years and may lead to chronic arthritis.
Others suffer permanent damage to their intestines, leaving them with lifelong digestive problems and food intolerances.
Mystery surrounds surge
UKHSA and Food Standards Agency experts admit they’re baffled by the sudden surge, launching an urgent investigation to understand why cases have exploded.
Dr James Cooper, Deputy Director of Food Policy at the FSA, said: “We are working together to understand the reasons behind the rise in campylobacter and salmonella cases, as well as trends in other pathogens.
Some experts speculate that post-pandemic behaviour changes, including more home cooking by inexperienced cooks and relaxed hygiene standards, could be contributing factors.
How to protect your family
With cases at their highest in a decade, health chiefs are urging families to follow these life-saving rules:
The 4 Cs of food safety:
- Chilling – Keep your fridge below 5°C
- Cleaning – Wash hands, surfaces and utensils thoroughly
- Cooking – Ensure food reaches 75°C throughout
- Cross-contamination – Never let raw meat touch other foods
Critical warning signs – go to A&E immediately if you experience:
- High fever above 38.5°C
- Blood in your stool
- Severe dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, little or no urination)
- Dizziness when standing
- Persistent vomiting preventing fluid intake
- Signs of confusion or disorientation
The 48-hour rule
Anyone experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting must stay home from work – and keep children off school – for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop to prevent spreading the infection.
Dr Godbole stressed: “Do not return to work, and children should not attend school or nursery, until at least 48 hours after symptoms have subsided.
Other bugs on the rise
The salmonella surge is just the tip of the iceberg. The UKHSA data reveals a terrifying cocktail of foodborne illnesses plaguing Britain:
- Listeria cases hit 178 in 2024
- STEC E. coli infections remain stubbornly high
- Cyclospora cases almost DOUBLED from 61 to 123
- Cryptosporidium caused 5,708 infections – the second highest in a decade
A nation under siege
With more than 80,000 Brits struck down by campylobacter and salmonella combined last year, the true scale of the crisis becomes clear.
That’s equivalent to the entire population of a city like Canterbury falling violently ill – and these are just the cases reported to authorities. Experts believe the real number could be ten times higher.
As families across Britain check their fridges with new-found fear, one thing is clear: the invisible enemy lurking in our food has never been more dangerous.
The message from health chiefs is stark: take precautions now, or risk becoming the next victim of Britain’s food poisoning epidemic.
