A SIXTH person has died from listeria after eating contaminated hospital sandwiches, health officials have said.

The outbreak has been linked to chicken sandwiches from The Good Food Chain in Stone, Staffs, which supplies 43 hospital trusts and shops nationwide.

A total of nine patients were affected – with six now losing their lives to listeriosis.

Public Health England today confirmed the latest person to die caught the bug at the Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Chichester.

In a statement PHE said: "The multi-agency team investigating cases of listeriosis linked to sandwiches and salads can confirm that, since the last update, there has been another death linked to this outbreak.

"The total number of deaths linked to this outbreak is six. The individual who sadly died was one of the nine previously confirmed cases.

"The individual is considered to have acquired listeriosis from Good Food Chain products while at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

"Public Health England continues to test all samples of listeria on an ongoing basis to check if they are linked to this outbreak.

"To date, we have tested 34 samples and none are linked to the outbreak.

"There have been no new cases of listeriosis linked to this outbreak.

"Our investigations continue and the public should be reassured that the risk continues to be low."

SIX DEATHS

The first fatalities were reported in early June, with two patients dying at Manchester Royal Infirmary, and a third at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.

Later that month, PHE confirmed the death toll had risen to five.

The first patient showed symptoms on April 25 and sandwiches and salads were withdrawn on May 25, as soon as a link with the cases was suspected.

THE SIGNS OF LISTERIOSIS TO WATCH OUT FOR

LISTERIOSIS is a rare infection caused by the listeria bacteria.

It tends to be harmless, but can prove serious for pregnant women and people with weak immune systems.

It's usually caught from eating infected foods, typicallly:

• unpasturised milk
• dairy products made from unpasturised milk
• soft cheese, like brie
• chilled ready-to-eat foods, like prepacked sandwiches
  

It's also possible to catch listeriosis from someone else who has it, or close contact with farm animals.

The bacteria can cause a life-threatening infection, where symptoms can appear similar to flu, including:

• a high temperature
• muscle ache or pain
• chills
• feeling or being sick
• diarrhoea

If you think you, or a loved one, is affected seek medical help.

Find out more on the NHS website here.

MORE COULD BE INFECTED

The Good Food Chain, which supplied 43 NHS trusts across the UK as well as one independent provider, voluntarily ceased production and PHE said the investigation into the outbreak is continuing.

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.

They supplied meat to The Good Food Chain, who made the sandwiches. They have since pulled all prepacked sandwiches and salads from sale.

It is unclear if more Brits will come down with the infection – as it can take 70 days from exposure to show signs of the illness.

A PHE spokesperson confirmed the items of food were no longer being produced.

The affected products were also pulled from hospitals when the links to the listeria infections were first identified.

Following the product withdrawal, Public Health England and Health Protection Scotland have written to their respective NHS Trusts and Boards to ensure that they are following appropriate food storage and handling protocols and to provide clinical guidance.

PHE insisted the health risk to the public remains low.

BUG CAN CAUSE MENINGITIS & DEATH

Listeria bacteria can prove serious for pregnant women and people with weak immune systems.

Prof Brendan Wren, an expert from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "If consumed it can lead to gastroenteritis, and in compromised patients more severe disease such as meningitis and, in rare cases, death.

"Pregnant women can pass the infection to their unborn children who are particularly susceptible to infection.

"In this small outbreak there appears a cluster of cases in hospitalised patients that were already ill.

"Listeria can survive refrigeration temperatures, which means it can persist in food processing equipment and in the food chain."

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