Health Alerts

Consumption of fresh Iranian dates is the common denominator among 8 confirmed (and one suspected) hepatitis A cases across seven counties over the past two months. Investigations are continuing into the source but, according to the Public Health Authority, ‘There is currently no trademark of dates that are specifically designated or suspected and no joint producer has been identified’. A separate outbreak of another food-borne infection is being investigated by the agency: Yersinia enterocolitica type O3 with 23 confirmed and a further 30 suspected cases. It is reported that of those affected, ‘60% are women and they live in different areas from the county of Halland in the south to Västerbotten in the north’. Read more.