BRUSSELS: A salmonella outbreak linked to eggs from a chicken farm in northern Belgium has sickened at least 306 people, according to the country’s food safety agency, after contaminated eggs were sold to consumers in Belgium and neighboring Luxembourg.
The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, known as AFSCA, said on Tuesday, Aug. 25 that the people who became ill were infected with the same strain of salmonella found at the farm. Officials warned that the actual number of cases could be higher because some people may have had mild symptoms or no symptoms and did not seek medical testing.
“Salmonella is relatively common in Belgium, but we never had such a broad cluster with so many people hit,” an AFSCA spokesperson said. Meanwhile, no deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.
AFSCA first discovered the contamination in May and responded by recalling the affected eggs and closing one henhouse at a farm in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium.
However, additional cases were reported in the following months. Officials later expanded the investigation and closed the entire farm. The poultry were then destroyed after a second egg recall was issued Aug. 10.
The company that sold the eggs was identified as Laerco BV. Authorities said as many as 2 million potentially contaminated eggs may have been sold. Luxembourg’s health authorities also issued a recall after the eggs were linked to the outbreak.
Health officials advised consumers to follow the recall instructions and avoid eating affected eggs. Thoroughly cooking eggs can reduce the risk of salmonella infection.
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause salmonellosis, a common foodborne illness. People infected with the bacteria may experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems can face a greater risk of serious illness.
