Girl, 11, needed three weeks of kidney dialysis in E.Coli sandwich outbreak, as two victims start legal action

28 June 2024, 18:05

An 11-year-old girl had to be put on three weeks of dialysis and could face permanent kidney damage after eating a chicken sandwich amid an E.coli outbreak in the UK.

The girl, from the North West, developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which attacks the kidneys, after eating an own-brand chicken salad sandwich from Asda, Legal firm Fieldfisher said.

The firm is representing the girl’s family as they pursue legal action over the sandwich they purchased in the supermarket.

“The girl, aged 11, developed the serious condition haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which attacks the kidneys and has been on dialysis for three weeks," the legal firm said.

"She was discharged home two days ago but could be at risk of permanent kidney damage. Her mother bought three of the sandwiches as part of an online delivery."

It comes after the UK Health Security Agency said one patient had died in the E. coli outbreak, which investigators believe is linked to salad used in sandwiches.

A second person, a man from the South East, is also pursuing legal action against Tesco.

He was hospitalised with E. coli symptoms after eating own-brand sandwiches from Tesco containing salad.

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The legal director at the same firm, Harvinder Kaur, said: "Luckily, this client did not go on to develop HUS and is now home, but for a time he was seriously ill.

"Under the Act, companies producing food must ensure it is safe to eat.

"If it causes illness, it is a breach of their duty and those injured are eligible to claim compensation, not least to fund possible ongoing medical care.

"My client was a regular shopper at Tesco, buying his lunch there most days since it was very close to his work."

Fieldfisher said it has issued letters of claim for breach of the Consumer Protection Act over own-brand sandwiches purchased in the supermarkets.

An Asda spokesperson said: "We have not yet received any letter from Fieldfisher regarding these claims, as soon as we do we will review the details of the claim as a matter of urgency."

It is understood that Tesco has not yet received notification of the claim from Fieldfisher.

It comes after thousands of supermarket sandwiches, wraps and salad products were recalled earlier this month over possible E. coli contamination.

The recent outbreak has seen 275 confirmed cases of E. coli (STEC) O145 across the UK, as of Tuesday.

Across 249 recorded cases, 49% were admitted to hospital.

So far, there have been 182 cases in England, 58 in Scotland, 31 in Wales and four in Northern Ireland. The latter cases are thought to have acquired their infection in England.

The UKHSA said the number of cases it is seeing is declining, but more will come to light as further samples are referred to it from NHS laboratories.

E.coli are a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in human and animal intestines - some are harmless but others can cause serious illness.

The type identified in this outbreak, Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145, can attack the gut’s lining.

A food manufacturer recalled the products, which are sold in major UK supermarkets, due to a potential link to the outbreak.

Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the FSA, said on Thursday it believed a type of lettuce used in sandwich products was the likely cause of the outbreak.

He added: "Although we are confident in the likely source of the outbreak being linked to lettuce, work continues to confirm this and identify the root cause of the outbreak with the growers, suppliers and manufacturers so that actions can be taken to prevent a re-occurrence."