EXCLUSIVE Surge in E.coli as infections jump by over 4000 in a single a year, new data shows - amid fears about Britain's contaminated water supply READ MORE: E.coli danger: Experts reveal the risks from UK rivers By Emily Stearn, Health Reporter For Mailonline Published: 12:19 EDT, 7 August 2024 | Updated: 12:19 EDT, 7 August 2024 e-mail View comments Severe E.
coli cases have surged by more than 4,000 in a single year — the biggest annual rise in four years, new Government figures show. A MailOnline analysis of the latest data revealed that infections are up roughly 10 percent since last year, amounting to more than 46,000 cases in England between June 2023 and June 2024. The past three years have seen much smaller rises of around just four per cent.
The bug — which can spread via contaminated water, food or other infected people — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. In most cases symptoms resolve within a few days. However, for vulnerable people with weakened immune systems, it can prove deadly.
Your browser does not support iframes. Infectious disease experts today explained the rise — which relates to blood test-confirmed E.coli, usually in a hospital setting — was likely due to an increase in elective surgery and the number of hospitalised older people.
Paul Hunter, Professor of Medicine at the University of East Anglia and a specialist in bacterial infections said: 'The majority of cases will be detected in very sick patients who have come into hos.