Salmonella outbreak continues in Belgium

The egg-borne outbreak that began in Belgium due to the Salmonella virus, first detected at the end of April, is continuing. According to the latest update from Sciensano, four new cases have been confirmed, bringing the total number of patients to 318. The health agency reported that the outbreak has not yet ended. The continued rise in cases despite the measures taken has caused concern in the country.

Production halted at the farm where the virus was detected

The virus was first detected at the Laerco facility in Geel. During a large-scale recall conducted last May, all eggs from the farm were pulled from the market. At that time, inspections revealed the disease in only one of the four poultry houses. However, as the number of cases did not decrease, new samples were taken, and it was reported that the Salmonella virus was found in a second poultry house. Subsequently, all production at the farm was halted.

As part of the recall for products potentially contaminated with Salmonella, the products identified as risky and the supermarkets where they were sold were shared with the public. Authorities stated that consumers should absolutely not consume these eggs and should return them to the store where they were purchased to request a refund or reimbursement.

Sciensano stated that halting production is an important step toward bringing the outbreak under control, but that it may take time for new cases to stop completely.

News Source: 12punto