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Written question asked by Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 16 May 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 May 2025. It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 May 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Water: Pollution

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on confirmed cases of waterborne illness linked to exposure to (a) Salmonella and (b) Leptospira at UK bathing waters since 2020.

Answer

There have been no reported outbreaks of salmonella spp. associated with recreational water use in the time period requested since 2020.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes surveillance of Salmonella spp. infections. No information is available on the suspected cause of gastrointestinal infection for individual cases, unless salmonellosis cases are epidemiologically linked to an outbreak.

The UKHSA also undertakes routine surveillance for leptospirosis infections in humans, and publishes a quarterly report on the common animal-associated infections, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-animal-associated-infections-2024/common-animal-associated-infections-england-second-quarter-2024#leptospirosis

Exposure history is not well reported by cases. Water sources may be in the United Kingdom or abroad, and do not necessarily reflect where the infection was acquired. The following table shows the most recent figures of confirmed cases of leptospirosis in each quarter, from Quarter one of 2020 to Quarter two of 2024:

Year

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Confirmed leptospirosis cases

51

54

52

70

30

Potential exposure to water source

18

17

16

21

6

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
52954
Session
2024-26
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Pollution Salmonella Water Swimming Leptospirosis
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk