FINLAND IS the latest of three EU countries to have a salmonella outbreak, possibly linked to a meat plant in Co Kildare.
A Europe-wide public health alert is in place after it was confirmed that at least 119 people have now been infected by the salmonella agona outbreak, which may be caused by contaminated meat products made at a Dawn Farm Foods plant in Naas.
The latest details were published last night by the European Centre for Disease Control. Its Eurosurveillance report shows some 110 cases of infection with a specific strain of salmonella agona have been identified to date. This figure is likely to rise to 119 as another nine cases await final analysis. The public health investigation found that the average age of those affected was 27, with the youngest victim a child of three months. The oldest affected was 79 years of age.
A 77-year-old British woman has died from complications thought to be associated with the outbreak.
The report by public health experts form Ireland, the UK and Sweden confirms 14 people across Europe have been hospitalised due to the outbreak. Four people in the Republic have required hospital treatment. The outbreak has prompted the withdrawal of beef strips, chicken, lamb and pork supplied to at least eight European countries and in Kuwait. Dawn Farm Foods voluntarily withdrew the food products after the genetic fingerprint of salmonella agona was linked to a particular production line at its Naas plant.
"In the interests of public health, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is advising that products processed on the same production line as the salmonella-positive products at Dawn Farm Foods (plant no 734) should not be used," the FSAI said in a statement.
The Eurosurveillance report says "a confirmed case in Finland has eaten beef strips from a branch of the retail chain implicated in Ireland and the UK". It is understood this refers to the Subway sandwich chain, which has assured customers that products from suspect batches are no longer in their outlets.
Dr Darina O'Flanagan, director of the Irish Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said: "This is a serious outbreak with one fatality already. We want to ensure that the controls that are in place are effective and that new cases are investigated as quickly as possible to ensure that no other sources are identified".
Last night's report refers to a decision not to withdraw certain cooked meat products from the same production line "on the basis that they are intended for further cooking before consumption".
Asked whether Dawn Farm Foods had any plans to withdraw products packaged for further cooking, a spokeswoman said: "The company will work with FSAI advice, which is that there is no current need to withdraw this type of product."