Salmonella outbreak affects 100 at Riga Cup

So far the outbreak has affected participants from Finland, Norway, UK, Sweden, Hungary, Lithuania and Estonia. The source is yet to be identified.

Considering all cases reported were participating in the junior hockey cup in Riga, are clustered in time with serotype S. Enteritidis PT1, susceptible to all antibiotics and with a specific rare MLVA pattern, it can be considered a persistent point source outbreak with a common exposure, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Latvian food safety and public health authorities are doing epidemiological and environmental investigations.

Samples from the environment and personnel cafeterias in the arenas where the tournament took place have been negative.

Public health authorities in Finland and Sweden are interviewing cases to identify possible exposures. 

The Riga Cup took place from 27 March- 27 April, although the tournament has ended, other events are continuing until the end of May at the same venues and as the source(s) of infection has/have still not been identified, new cases are possible.