Health chiefs today sounded the alarm over a concerning rise in potentially deadly listeria bacteria. 

Surveillance programmes that monitor levels of the bug in England and Wales suggest cases have soared to their highest level in eight years. 

Figures show officials received 179 lab-confirmed reports of listeriosis in 2024, including 28 deaths. 

It means cases are almost a fifth above levels seen pre-Covid.

Pre-packaged sandwiches, smoked fish, garlic sausage and chilled desserts were blamed for seven outbreaks last year, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses said.

Last May, two adults died from the bug in an outbreak linked to contaminated sandwiches, rolls and wraps. 

Earlier this year, officials also revealed three people died in 2024 following an outbreak of listeria linked to chocolate and strawberry desserts supplied to NHS hospitals.

Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium listeria monocytogenes. 

Pre-packaged sandwiches were blamed for listeriosis outbreaks last year, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses said. Pictured, a selection of sandwiches sold by Bread Spread which were recalled last year over fears they were contaminated with the bug

London recorded the highest number of listeriosis cases last year at 35, with an incidence rate of 0.39 per 100,000 people. The South East (30), Wales (10) and West Midlands (18) followed with incidence rates of 0.32, 0.32 and 0.3 per 100,000 people respectively

The nasty bug — which can kill — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. 

According to the new UKHSA figures, around a fifth of all infections in 2024 (37) were associated with pregnancy, of which more than 40 per cent resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage. 

London recorded the highest number of listeriosis cases last year at 35, with an incidence rate of 0.39 per 100,000 people. 

The South East (30), Wales (10) and West Midlands (18) followed.

By comparison, the East of England recorded the lowest (15), at a rate at 0.23 per 100,000 people. 

Prepackaged sandwiches and the chocolate strawberry mousses accounted for 10 cases in total, UKHSA officials also said. 

Last year, safety regulators recalled more than 25 types of sandwiches, rolls and wraps made by Bread Spread due to a listeria outbreak, warning the lunchtime offerings were not manufactured ‘in accordance with food law requirements’.

Surveillance programmes that monitor levels of the bug in England and Wales suggest cases have soared to their highest level in eight years. Figures show officials received 179 lab-confirmed reports of listeriosis in 2024, including 28 deaths

Earlier this year UKHSA bosses also said the three deaths and two cases linked to chocolate and strawberry mousses made by Cool Delight Desserts last year were all aged between 68 and 89 

Two people who had underlying health issues also died following the outbreak, health chiefs said.  

Earlier this year UKHSA bosses also said the three deaths and two cases linked to chocolate and strawberry mousses made by Cool Delight Desserts last year were all aged between 68 and 89. 

Two were in Yorkshire and the Humber, one in the North West, another in the West Midlands, and the fifth was in Wales. 

All chilled desserts including ice cream, ice cream cream rolls, mousses and yoghurts supplied by the company to the NHS and care homes were recalled by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a precaution.

Food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections.

For most people, listeria poisoning can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills and feeling or being sick.

Usually symptoms recede after a few days.

However, listeriosis poses a particular threat to the elderly, pregnant women and babies.

Those who eat food containing listeria develop an infection called listeriosis, which can cause a fever, aches and pains, chills, nausea, sickness and diarrhoea

Around a fifth of all infections in 2024 (37) were associated with pregnancy, of which more than 40 per cent resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage

In rarer cases the infection can be more severe, causing life-threatening complications, such as meningitis.

Many foods can harbor listeria, but it is usually found in unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, such as prepacked sandwiches.

Listeria is widespread in the environment and can be found in raw food and soil, and in the droppings of many mammals, birds, and fish.

Meanwhile in the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around 1,600 people get listeriosis each year.