Public Health England (PHE) is investigating a national outbreak of a type of Salmonella Enteritidis which has affected 156 people.

To date, 55 cases have seen in Hampshire, 25 in London, 33 in Cheshire and Merseyside, and 43 in the West Midlands. Cases have also been seen in Austria and France.

In England, the cases occurred as isolated clusters over several months and have been managed locally, but are now being reassessed as potentially linked under a national investigation.

Dr Paul Cleary, a consultant epidemiologist leading the PHE investigation, said:

We are working with our colleagues across PHE, the Food Standards Agency, in local authorities and with other public health organisations in Europe to investigate the cause of this outbreak.