Food poisoning outbreaks are on the rise in Scotland, according to new data from Health Protection Scotland. During the first quarter of this year there were 98 outbreaks, that sickened 2,015 people.
The number of outbreaks represents a 40 percent increase over the 70 outbreaks reported during the first quarter of 2012 and a 51 percent increase over the 65 outbreaks reported during the first quarter of 2011. In 2010, 178 food poisoning outbreaks were reported.
Norovirus was the leading source of illness causing 95 out of 98 of the outbreaks. Salmonella and scombrotoxin each caused one and officials were unable to determine the source of one outbreak.
Norovirus is also the most common cause of food poisoning in the U.S. and Canda. In the U.S., it causes about 21 million illnesses and contributes to about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths.
The virus is highly conatgious and hard to kill so it is easily spread form person to person or from touching a surface and infected person has touched or eating food an infected person has prepared. Symptoms of Norovirus infection include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
