From research into the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) weekly reports for NOID’s (Notifiable diseases) causative agents up to week 52 ending 1st January 2023, the number of reported cases in 2022 has risen to around a total of 679 in England.

Although the UKHSA need to officially confirm their data, when they have the time, I believe these figures and those below which are un-confirmed by them are reasonable accurate.

In 2022 there was a large outbreak of E.coli O157 which appears to have started in late August. Reports have indicated there were 259 confirmed cases across the UK up until the 7th December last year.

The possible source of this outbreak may be UK produced lettuce and salad leaves.

2022 number of E.coli O157 cases 679 in England – to be confirmed by the UKHSA.

2021 number of E.coli O157 cases 373 in England – to be confirmed by the UKHSA.  (2nd year of pandemic, Covid-19).

2020 number of E.coli O157 cases 347 in England– to be confirmed by the UKHSA.  (1st year of pandemic, Covid-19).

2019 number of E.coli O157 confirmed cases 515 in England & 24 in Wales making a total of 539 – data published by UKHSA (formerly Public Health England).

The total overall number of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) confirmed cases in England and Wales was 1720.

The FSA should also use Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) reported cases in relation to food, so that it gives a clearer picture as to the size of the problem, now that PCR testing etc is more available in Laboratories.

2018 number of E.coli O157 confirmed case 607 in England & Wales 

There were also 567 Non-O157 (STEC) confirmed case in England and 45 in Wales.

2017 number of E.coli O157 confirmed case 563 in England & Wales.

2016 number of E.coli O157 confirmed case 715 in England & Wales.

2015 number of E.coli O157 confirmed case 665 in England & Wales.

2014 number of E.coli O157 confirmed case 883 in England & Wales.

Therefore, the total number of cases in 2022 is potentially the highest number of cases since 2014.

Listeria Monocytogenes (This has the highest Mortality rate in relation to foodborne illness and can have devistating effects on pregnancy).

From research into the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) weekly reports for NOID’s (Notifiable diseases) causative agents it appears that reported cases of Listeria have risen in the last two years.

2022 number of Listeria cases 179 in England– to be confirmed by the UKHSA.

2021 number of Listeria cases 226 in England– to be confirmed by the UKHSA. If the above number of cases is correct, it is the highest since around 2003.

2020 number of confirmed Listeria cases 124 in England and Wales. 

2019 number of confirmed Listeria cases 144 in England and Wales.

2018 number of confirmed Listeria cases 159 in England and Wales.