Woman dies in E.coli outbreak linked to supermarket meat counters

Five other people are being treated for the virulent E.coli 0157 infection, which is believed to have come from the cold meat counters of two Morrisons stores.

Health chiefs yesterday warned they were bracing themselves for other victims as the bug's incubation period is up to 14 days.

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The 66-year-old woman, who was disabled, died on Monday morning in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Her 72-year-old husband is fighting for his life in Glasgow's Victoria Infirmary.

A 71-year-old woman is also being treated at the Royal Alexandra and four victims are recovering at home, including an 86-year-old woman and a family, comprising a 46-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman and their 23-year-old daughter.

Initial investigations suggest the outbreak centres on meat bought at the Lonend and Falside Road stores in Paisley.

The meat counters at both premises have been closed and customers are being warned not to eat any products they have bought there.

Anyone suffering from stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea and fever is advised to contact their GP.

Morrisons yesterday refused to discuss who supplied the meat and where it was prepared but it is understood to be cooked at one of the affected supermarkets.

Health officials said they did not believe any other Morrisons stores were affected.

Leading microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington said the affected product had probably come into contact with uncooked meat.

"The bug has a history of being associated with ready-to-eat meats," he said.

"Almost certainly what happens in the past is that there has been some circumstantial contamination between the raw meat and ready-to-eat foods."

NHS Greater Glasgow learned of two separate 0157 cases on Friday but became aware of two more on Monday.

Dr Syed Ahmed, of the health board's outbreak control team, said: "We immediately interviewed the individuals, reviewed all the information and, while there is no conclusive evidence yet, initial investigations have indicated that there may possibly be a link to the consumption of some sliced cold meats bought locally from the delicatessen counters of two Morrisons supermarkets in Paisley."

A spokeswoman added: "There could very well be more people falling ill over the next few days."

Most types of E.coli, short for Escherichia coli(CORR), are harmless but the 0157 strain can cause life-threatening kidney damage and haemolytic uremic syndrome, where red blood cells are destroyed.

The strain is found in the intestines of cattle and some other animals and is usually spread by eating infected, uncooked or partly cooked food - particularly minced beef.

It can also be passed directly from animals and infected humans.

In humans, the bacteria multiply in the gut and release toxins that damage the lining of the intenstine.

Antibiotics have no effect and and diarrhoea medicines are counter-productive as they prevent the body from ejecting the bug.

The strain was responsible for the UK's worst outbreak in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, in 1996 when 21 elderly people died after eating meat from a local butcher's.

Other major outbreaks have included one in South Wales in 2005, in which almost 200 people fell ill at 38 schools and a five-year-old boy died from kidney failure.

Morrisons, the UK's fourth largest food retailer with 370 stores, yesterday it said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death and other cases.

It said in a statement: "We are working closely with the authorities and although the full facts are not yet known, we have, as a precautionary measure, withdrawn sliced cold meat products from sale at the delicatessen counters of two stores in Paisley."