One person has died and 207 people have been infected in a UK-wide salmonella outbreak that health officials say may be linked to imported eggs, with the UK Health Security Agency investigating possible connections to five food businesses as case numbers continue to be assessed.
One person has died and 207 people have been infected across the UK in a salmonella outbreak that health officials believe may be linked to eggs imported from outside the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said more than a third of those affected required hospital treatment, with two patients developing potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections. Confirmed cases range in age from babies to people in their 90s, with London and Yorkshire recording the highest concentrations of infections.
How the outbreak was identified
The outbreak was first detected on 26 May 2026, after UKHSA identified an unusual rise in Salmonella Enteritidis infections involving a single strain, established through whole-genome sequencing. Salmonella Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar recorded in England.
The 207 confirmed cases span a considerably longer period than the initial detection date, having been recorded between 11 August 2025 and 1 August 2026. Of these, 199 cases have been recorded in England, representing more than 96% of the total, with six cases in Scotland and one each in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scale of illness
Around 38% of confirmed cases required hospital treatment, and two patients went on to develop bloodstream infections, a complication that can become life-threatening if not managed appropriately. Within England, London and Yorkshire and the Humber have recorded the highest concentrations of cases.
Investigating the source
Investigators have obtained detailed food-exposure questionnaires from 114 of the 207 confirmed patients. These interviews identified possible links to five separate food businesses, with subsequent food-chain investigations finding that all five businesses received eggs from multiple sources, including importers.
Officials have also identified possible cross-contamination at two of the businesses under investigation, meaning food-preparation practices are being examined alongside the eggs themselves as potential sources of the outbreak. Investigators have not yet identified a single specific imported egg supplier or country of origin as the confirmed source of the contamination. Notably, UK-produced eggs and poultry have not been linked to the outbreak, marking an important distinction within the broader finding that imported eggs may be implicated.
The investigation is being carried out jointly by UKHSA, food-safety and public-health authorities across the UK, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, combining patient interviews, genetic sequencing and food-chain tracing in an effort to establish the precise source.
Wider context: rising Salmonella infections
This outbreak comes amid a broader upward trend in Salmonella infections across England. The country recorded 10,406 laboratory-confirmed non-typhoidal Salmonella infections in 2025, the highest annual total in a decade, and slightly higher than the 10,389 cases recorded the previous year.
The 2025 total represents an increase of approximately 26% compared with the 8,242 cases recorded in 2016. Over the same period, the infection rate rose from 14.9 cases per 100,000 people in 2016 to 17.8 per 100,000 in 2025.
Advice for the public
Despite the ongoing investigation into imported eggs, officials have not advised the public to avoid all imported eggs specifically. Current guidance remains focused on general food safety measures: cooking food thoroughly, maintaining good hand hygiene, and ensuring that people experiencing symptoms do not prepare food for others while unwell.
