Food bug toll rises

The number of food bug sufferers is still rising

The number of people affected by an outbreak of suspected food poisoning in Bradford has risen to more than 150.

Another 20 victims of the salmonella bug were reported on Thursday night, five of whom remain in hospital, and health chiefs expect more cases over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Bradford District Health Protection Unit and environmental health officers are still trying to trace the source of the illness.

Dr Ruth Gelletlie, a consultant in communicable disease control for the Bradford district, said that while the outbreak seemed to have peaked, more cases were expected in the next few days.

Plea to public

She described the scale of the outbreak as "fairly unusual" and said most of the people affected so far seemed to be fit, young adults.

"We are talking to all the people who have been ill to get as much information as we can about what they have been doing in the last three days.

"It is like a detective story and a lot of people are working on getting to the bottom of this."

She urged anyone in the city who has suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting to contact the local environmental health department.

"Any information like this will help us trace the cause of this outbreak," Dr Gelletlie added.

"I would stress the importance of scrupulous hand-washing, particularly when preparing food or using the toilet, to prevent the infection spreading to others."