Person dies in UK E. coli outbreak

One person in England has died linked to the ongoing E. coli outbreak, the UK Health Security Agency has said.

The person died in May and had underlying health conditions, the agency said.

It follows a recent outbreak which has seen 275 confirmed cases of E. coli (STEC) O145 across the UK, as of 25 June. Data from 249 cases shows 49% were admitted to hospital.

The outbreak is thought to be caused by some supermarket sandwiches containing salad leaves.

Several food manufacturers have issued recalls for some of their products as a precautionary measure.

E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in human and animal intestines.

Some types are harmless but others can make people seriously ill.

The variety in this outbreak, Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145, can attack the gut's lining.