UK food poisoning outbreak: a call to invest in public health

The UK’s recent E coli outbreak1 has received extensive media coverage.2 There is also a large ongoing outbreak of Salmonella in the US34 and increasing concerns about the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 outbreak there among cattle, which is spreading to other species.5 The first ever death from H5N2 has just been reported.6 The field of health protection—protecting the population from infectious diseases and potential pandemics—will always be at the top of the agenda for professionals and politicians.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is the blue light service for public health.7 It is leading the investigation of the E coli outbreak along with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), supported by local authority environmental health officers. The first case in this outbreak was reported on 25 May8 and the cause remains unidentified.There have been concerns that job cuts at UKHSA could cost lives.9 The FSA budget has been cut by over…
Read Original Article: UK food poisoning outbreak: a call to invest in public health »