Hey there, friends! Let’s chat about something pretty important: Salmonella. It’s a type of germ that can make people feel really sick. Last year, in England, the number of people getting sick with Salmonella went back up to what it was before the big COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, they found out that 8,125 people got sick from Salmonella. That’s more than the year before, when 5,033 people were sick. The year before that, in 2020, 4,712 people got sick, but in 2019, there were 8,398 cases. Seeing this, it looks like the numbers are jumping up and down.
They also noticed that one type of Salmonella, called Salmonella Enteritidis, made a lot more people sick last year. The cases went from 747 in 2021 to a big jump to 2,044 in 2022. Another type, called Salmonella Typhimurium, also made more people sick — from 1,219 in 2021 to 1,731 in 2022. There were other types too, like Salmonella Infantis and some others, but there were fewer cases of those.
The people who got sick the most were kids younger than 10 years old. They made up about 26% of all the lab reports of getting sick with Salmonella. The sickness didn’t pick boys or girls more — it was pretty even there. And guess what? London had the most people getting sick, with 1,631 cases!
Now, when you look at all of Europe and a few nearby places, there were over 66,700 people who got sick from Salmonella in 2022. Sadly, 81 people died. Countries like France, Germany, and Spain had more cases than England.
Last year in England, people got sick in 11 different outbreaks. One big outbreak made 133 people sick from eating bad chocolate, and 26 of those people had to go to the hospital! There were also other outbreaks from things like meat products, ready meals, raw milk, and chicken. One outbreak was even from cucumbers!
Some of these outbreaks also happened in other countries. For example, the bad chocolate one affected people in 17 different countries! And a different one was from frozen chicken that made at least 300 people sick in seven countries.
So, if you’re munching on snacks or having a meal, just remember it’s always a good idea to make sure your food is safe. No one likes to be sick, especially from something they ate! Keep it clean, cook it well, and stay healthy, everyone!
The Battle Against Salmonella: A Historical Fight
Long before we had mega kitchens and fancy food apps, there was a battle being fought against an invisible enemy named Salmonella. For many years, this pesky germ has been responsible for making lots of people sick. From the time we started storing and cooking food, there’s been a need to keep it safe from these tiny troublemakers that can hitch a ride on things we eat.
Understanding the Salmonella Surge and Its Impact
When we talk about Salmonella, we’re discussing a group of bacteria that are really good at ruining your day by causing food poisoning. The stats in England are showing us a see-saw pattern: after Salmonella cases dropped during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve shot up again, reminding us that these germs haven’t gone anywhere.
In 2022, the types of Salmonella that caused the most trouble were Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. While these names might sound like bad guys from a science fiction story, they’re very real, and they led to thousands of people feeling miserable last year.
What’s more worrisome is that children under 10 were the most affected group, which tells us that our little food critics are the most vulnerable to these bacteria. Infections were spread out evenly between boys and girls, and London had the unfortunate title of “most Salmonella cases” in the country.
From The Club
Salmonella is a really dangerous bacterial disease that can cause serious damage to our intestinal tracts when it enters our bodies. Despite the surge in cases, it’s a good thing that the authorities are doing their part to contain it and prevent any more people from getting sick. Let’s all do our part as well by practicing good hygiene and cooking our food thoroughly.