§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many outbreaks of E. coli 0157 food poisoning have occurred in the Carlisle city council area in the last five years; and how many people were affected in each of the outbreaks; [7923]
(2) how many cases of E. coli 0157 food poisoning have occurred; and how many people have died from the infection in the Carlisle city council area in the last five years. [7924]
§ Mr. Horam[holding answer 9 December 1996]: For information on the number of cases of E. coli 0157 in the United Kingdom, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 2 December at column 551.
There were no outbreaks of E. coli 0157 in the city of Carlisle between 1991 to date. Information about single E. coli 0157 cases in the city of Carlisle is given in the table:
E. coli 0157 cases from the city of Carlisle Year Cases Deaths1 19912 0 0 1992 5 0 1993 4 0 1994 3 0 1995 10 0 1996 3 0 Source:
Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre.
Notes:
1 Confirmed with Office for National Statistics.
2 PHLS (Carlisle) did not routinely test specimens for E. coli 0157 until October 1991.
The higher number of E. coli 0157 cases in 1995 were investigated by North Cumbria health authority and found to be associated with the consumption of wild field mushrooms, picked from fields where cattle had been 327W grazing. The cases were dispersed over a wide area and no link was established with any particular field.