THE South West is the worst affected region in the recent outbreak of E. coli, which has killed two people, Public Health England says.

Over 150 people in the UK have been infected by the bug, with 62 needing hospital care, and two have now been confirmed dead.

Public Health England (PHE) said of these cases, 54 were in the South West, the highest number of any region. The South East was the second highest, with 43 reported cases.

PHE says it is still working to establish the exact source of the E. coli O157 bug, but that pre-packed salad leaves could be the cause of the outbreak and that the strain is likely to have been imported. They have advised customers to ensure all salad leaves are washed, especially pre-packed rocket leaves.

E. coli infection can cause a range of symptoms, from mild diarrhoea to bloody diarrhoea with severe abdominal pain. It can be caught by eating contaminated food or by direct contact with animals with the bacteria. It can also be passed from an infected individual to another person through poor hygiene.

Symptoms usually appear three to four days after infection, but can occur any time between one and 14 days afterwards. The symptoms can last for up to two weeks and can lead to serious medical complications.

Dr Isabel Oliver, from PHE, said: "PHE has put in place heightened surveillance for this strain of E. coli and is carefully monitoring the reporting of cases across the entire country. To assist with this investigation to help us find the source, we have convened a national outbreak control team who will also ensure all necessary control measures are put in place.

"We continue to stress the importance of good hand and food hygiene practices at all times. We urge people to remove any loose soil before storing vegetables and thoroughly wash all vegetables (including salads) that will be eaten raw unless they have been pre-prepared and are specifically labelled ‘ready to eat’.

"These measures may reduce the risk of infection from any E.coli contaminated vegetables, fruit and salad but will not eliminate any risk of infection completely. PHE is working alongside the Food Standards Agency and will provide any further necessary public health advice as investigations continue.

"It’s also vital to wash hands thoroughly using soap and water after using the toilet, before and after handling food and after contact with any animals and pets, including farm animals. Small children should also be supervised when washing their hands."