Image copyright Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Image caption Two deaths occurred at Manchester Royal Infirmary

Three hospital patients have died in an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

Public Health England (PHE) said the victims were among six patients affected in England and the deaths occurred in Manchester and Liverpool.

Two of the victims were at Manchester Royal Infirmary, with the other a patient at Aintree Hospital.

Sandwiches and salads from The Good Food Chain linked to the outbreak have been withdrawn and production stopped.

PHE said the products were withdrawn from hospitals when the links to the infections were first identified.

A spokesperson for the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said it offered its "deepest condolences to the bereaved families" and "sincerely regret" that two of their seriously ill patients contracted listeria.

The trust, which would not say when the deaths happened, said the sandwiches were from the patient menu.

The first patient showed symptoms on 25 April while the most recent case was reported on 15 May, a PHE spokeswoman said.

Aintree Hospital said: "Public health experts advised us of this supply chain issue on Friday 24 May and we immediately removed all products from this supplier."

Image copyright Google Image caption A patient at Aintree Hospital also died

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE said: "To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low."

PHE said The Good Food Chain - which supplied 43 NHS trusts across the UK - had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria.

This business and North Country Quality Foods, which it distributes through, have also voluntarily ceased production.

A spokesman for The Good Food Chain Ltd said the company's production facility in Stone, Staffordshire, was "cross contaminated by an ingredient from one of its approved meat suppliers".

A spokesman for North Country Cooked Meats said it was "currently co-operating fully with the environmental health and the Food Standards Agency in their investigations".

What is listeria?

Listeria is a bacterium which can cause a type of food poisoning called listeriosis.

Normally, the symptoms are mild - a high temperature, chills, feeling sick - and go away on their own after a few days.

But these cases occurred in people who were seriously ill.

Along with pregnant women, newborn babies and the elderly, they are most at risk of a more serious infection that can spread to the brain or bloodstream.

In 2017 there were 33 deaths linked to listeriosis in England and Wales.

Listeria can be found in many types of food such as soft cheeses, chilled ready-to-eat foods like pre-packed salads, sandwiches and sliced meats, and unpasteurised milk products.

To reduce the risk, the NHS advises people keep chilled food in the fridge, heat food until it is piping hot and not eat food after its use-by date. </s> Three hospital patients have died in an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

Public Health England (PHE) said the victims were among six patients affected in England and the deaths occurred in Manchester and Liverpool.

Two of the victims were at Manchester Royal Infirmary, with the other a patient at Aintree Hospital.

Sandwiches and salads from The Good Food Chain linked to the outbreak have been withdrawn and production ceased.

PHE said the sandwiches and salads affected are no longer being produced while investigations continue.

It added the products were withdrawn from hospitals when the links to the infections were first identified.

A spokesperson for the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said it offered its "deepest condolences to the bereaved families" and "sincerely regret" that two of their seriously ill patients contracted listeria.

"Although the risk of infection was extremely small, as soon as the Trust was informed of the findings of PHE's investigation, a decision was made to remove the sandwiches that may have been affected from the patient menu as a precautionary measure, and an alternative supplier was established," the spokesperson said.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE said: "To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low."

PHE said The Good Food Chain, based in Staffordshire, had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria.

This business and North Country Quality Foods, who they distribute through, have also voluntarily ceased production.

The BBC has contacted The Good Food Chain and North Country Quality Foods for comment. </s> Three hospital patients have died in an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

Public Health England (PHE) said the victims were among six patients affected in England and the deaths occurred in Manchester and Liverpool.

Two of the victims were at Manchester Royal Infirmary, with the other a patient at Aintree Hospital.

Sandwiches and salads from The Good Food Chain linked to the outbreak have been withdrawn and production ceased.

PHE said the products were withdrawn from hospitals when the links to the infections were first identified.

A spokesperson for the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said it offered its "deepest condolences to the bereaved families" and "sincerely regret" that two of their seriously ill patients contracted listeria.

The trust, which would not say when the deaths occurred, said the sandwiches were from the patient menu.

Aintree Hospital said: "Public health experts advised us of this supply chain issue on Friday 24 May and we immediately removed all products from this supplier."

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE said: "To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low."

PHE said The Good Food Chain, based in Staffordshire, had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria.

This business and North Country Quality Foods, who it distributes through, have also voluntarily ceased production.

The BBC has contacted The Good Food Chain and North Country Quality Foods for comment.

Listeria is a bacteria which can cause a type of food poisoning called listeriosis.

Normally, the symptoms are mild - a high temperature, chills, feeling sick - and go away on their own after a few days.

But these cases occurred in people who were seriously ill.

Along with pregnant women, newborn babies and the elderly, they are most at risk of a more serious infection which can spread to the brain or blood stream.

In 2017 there were 33 deaths linked to listeriosis in England and Wales.

Listeria can be found in many types of food such as soft cheeses, chilled ready-to-eat foods like pre-packed salads, sandwiches and sliced meats, and unpasteurised milk products.

To reduce your risk, the NHS advises people keep chilled food in the fridge, heat food until it's piping hot and not use food after its use by date. </s> Three hospital patients have died after a listeria outbreak from pre-packaged sandwiches, according to Public Health England.

Sandwiches and salads linked to the cases have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain has ceased production while an investigation begins.

The cases of the listeria infections were in six seriously ill patients at two hospitals - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Three of those patients have sadly died.

The Good Food Chain had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria.

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North Country Cooked Meats and North Country Quality Foods who they distribute through, have also voluntarily ceased production.

Dr Nick Phin, Deputy Director at the National Infection Service at Public Health England said: "Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died.

"We, along with the FSA, colleagues in local authorities and the NHS have worked quickly to determine the likely cause of this outbreak and taken action to reduce the risk to the public’s health.

"To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low."

Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at the FSA said: "Our sympathies are with the families of those patients who have tragically passed away.

"We have taken action along with local authorities to minimise the risk based on the evidence so far. The FSA will continue to investigate how the outbreak occurred and if further steps are required to protect vulnerable groups."

Listeria is a bacteria infection that can often go unnoticed or present only mild symptoms in most cases.

However, the infection can be more serious or even fatal in some circumstances, spreading to the blood stream or brain.

The sandwiches and salads affected are no longer being produced while investigations continue and the affected products were withdrawn from hospitals when the links to the listeria infections were first identified.

On The Good Food Chain's website, they state: "Whole Lotta Good' is brought to you by The Good Food Chain. For over 20 years we have supplied prestigious Universities, Business & Industry and Sporting Venues in the UK.

"Our customers enjoy quality products at the right price. They have peace of mind that all our products are lovingly hand prepared in a safe environment, as you would in your own kitchen."

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. </s> The deaths at Aintree, right, and Manchester are linked to food supplied by the Good Food Chain

Two of the victims were patients at Manchester Royal Infirmary. The other was a patient at Aintree Hospital, Liverpool. Three other patients were reported to be seriously ill as a result of the outbreak.

Sandwiches and salads linked to the cases were immediately withdrawn and the Staffordshire-based supplier, The Good Food Chain, has voluntarily ceased production while an investigation is conducted.

The caterers supplied 43 NHS trusts across the UK with their Whole Lotta Good range which has been developed specifically for healthcare patients' needs.

Public Health England (PHE) said the business had been supplied with meat produced by Salford-based North Country Cooked Meats, which has since tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria and has also stopped production.

A spokesman for the Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (AFT) said it had been advised by PHE to remove the affected products from the supply chain on Friday May 24. </s> PHE said sandwiches and salads linked to the cases have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain, has decided to stop production while the investigation continues.

PHE said The Good Food Chain had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria. North Country Quality Foods has also voluntarily ceased production.

The cases of listeria infection were in six seriously-ill hospital patients in England, three of whom died.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the National Infection Service at PHE, said: "Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died. </s> Three hospital patients in England have died following an outbreak of listeria that is being linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

An investigation has been launched into the source of the infection.

Public Health England are focusing their probe on packets of sandwiches supplied by The Good Food Chain.

The cases of listeria infection were in six seriously ill hospital patients.

Those who died were at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.

Listeriosis is a rare but serious foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes that can be more serious for individuals with weakened immune systems, and also the elderly, pregnant women and infants.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the national infection service, at PHE, said: "Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died.

"We, along with the FSA, colleagues in local authorities and the NHS have worked quickly to determine the likely cause of this outbreak and taken action to reduce the risk to the public's health.

"To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low."

Public Health England (PHE) said sandwiches and salads linked to the cases have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain, has voluntarily ceased production while the investigation continues.

PHE said The Good Food Chain had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria. </s> Three hospital patients have died after eating pre-packaged sandwiches linked to a listeria outbreak.

An investigation has been launched into the source of the infections, related to products supplied by The Good Food Chain, Public Health England (PHE) said.

Cases of listeria infection were found in six seriously ill hospital patients.

Those who died were at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the national infection service at PHE, said: “Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died.

“We, along with the Food Standards Agency, colleagues in local authorities and the NHS have worked quickly to determine the likely cause of this outbreak and taken action to reduce the risk to the public’s health.

“To date, there have been no associated cases identified outside healthcare organisations, and any risk to the public is low.”

The first case showed symptoms on April 25 while the most recent case was reported on May 15, a PHE spokeswoman said.

Sandwiches and salads were withdrawn on May 25, as soon as a link with the cases was suspected.

It is understood that some of the products were sold at hospitals while others were given to patients.

The Good Food Chain, which supplied 43 NHS trusts across the UK, has voluntarily ceased production.

The business was supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats, which has since tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria and also stopped production.

Listeria infection is rare and usually causes a mild illness in healthy people.

However it can have more serious consequences among those with pre-existing medical conditions, pregnant women and those with a weak immune system.

Dr Colin Sullivan, chief operating officer at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is helping with the investigation, said: “Our sympathies are with the families of those patients who have tragically passed away.

“We have taken action along with local authorities to minimise the risk based on the evidence so far.

“The FSA will continue to investigate how the outbreak occurred and if further steps are required to protect vulnerable groups.” </s> Three people have died and three are seriously ill following an outbreak of listeria infection in hospitals in England, Public Health England has said.

Multiple health agencies and local authorities are investigating the source of the infection, which is currently being linked to pre-packaged sandwiches available in English hospitals.

All six people affected were seriously ill in the hospital at the time they were infected, Public Health England said in a statement Friday.

The people who died were being treated at two hospitals in the northern English cities of Manchester and Liverpool, the health agency said.

“Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died,” Nick Phin, the deputy director at the UK’s National Infection Service at Public Health England, said in the statement.

“We, along with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), colleagues in local authorities and the NHS have worked quickly to determine the likely cause of this outbreak and taken action to reduce the risk to the public’s health.”

He added that there have been “no associated cases identified outside healthcare organizations,” and said the risk to the public was low.

Colin Sullivan, chief operating officer at the FSA, said his agency had taken action alongside local authorities to “minimize the risk based on the evidence so far.”

“The FSA will continue to investigate how the outbreak occurred and if further steps are required to protect vulnerable groups,” he added.

Public Health England said the sandwiches and salads linked to the cases of illness were removed from hospitals by the supplier, The Good Food Chain. The agency also said the company voluntarily halted production while the contamination is under investigation.

“Following investigations by Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency, The Good Food Chain has confirmed that its production facility in Stone, Staffordshire was cross-contaminated by an ingredient from one of its approved meat suppliers,” the company said in a statement to CNN.

The meat supplier, North Country Cooked Meats, and its distributor, North Country Quality Foods, have also voluntarily ceased production while the investigation is ongoing, Public Health England said.

Symptoms of Listeria infection include fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal illness such as diarrhea.

Pregnant women, newborns, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system are most at risk for Listeriosis infection. The risk for pregnant women is that the illness can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth.

Public Health England noted that the National Health Service in England and Wales typically sees 166 cases of listeria infection a year. An average of 46 deaths per year due to Listeria were reported between 2010 and 2016.
In the United Kingdom, three hospital patients die from listeria linked to prepacked sandwiches from North Country Cooked Meats distributed via The Good Food Chain, which supplies 43 National Health Service trusts across the country. Three other patients are seriously ill. North Country Cooked Meats, and its distributor, North Country Quality Foods, voluntarily cease production while the investigation is ongoing.