A TOP virus expert has warned there could be more victims after a Scot died from a deadly bug linked to a festive cheese.
Bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington warned the potentially deadly E.coli linked to the artisan cheese could claim more lives.
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He fears that not everyone is aware of the product recall and that there is a possibility that some could be infected by not checking the labels of the cheeses in a Christmas hamper.
Scotland could already have hundreds of cases, but they may not be recorded because people were not sick enough to receive medical advice.
Professor Pennington explained that this deadly strain of E. coli was not common.
There have been 30 reported cases linked to the outbreak that has killed a Scot and hospitalised 11 other people in the UK.
People aged seven to 81 have been affected. Eight of the people affected are understood to have eaten Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese.
Professor Pennington told the Scottish Mail on Sunday: “The bacteria can remain in the cheese for some time and, despite the mass publicity, not everyone will have heard about the recall.
“People may have some of this product, for example, in a Christmas hamper and may not be looking at the label in too much detail.
“I would be surprised if there were not some more cases, although I suspect it would not be a large number as the outbreak has been running for about six months now in terms of the 30 cases reported.
“There could be as many as hundreds of cases of E. coli in Scotland in a year. However, this particular strain is not that common.
“There will also have been cases that have gone under the radar as those involved have not been ill enough to seek medical advice.
“The risk may be small but if you get infected and are very young or elderly the chances of it being quite a serious infection can be quite high.
“This is the nastiest food poisoning bug you can get because the toxin causes severe symptoms, with a minority of people experiencing serious kidney issues.
“Multiple organs can be affected and you only have to consume a very small amount of the bacteria to become infected.”
Cheesemaker Graham Kirkham, who is based in Lancashire, added: “We are devastated. We are part of a bigger investigation and we have stopped any more cheeses going out”.
The Food Standards Agency has recalled four of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese products as a precaution.
It includes mild and creamy Lancashire, tasty Lancashire, mature Lancashire, and smoked Lancashire.
The cheese with use-by dates from October 30 to January 16 have been withdrawn from sale.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Public Health Scotland confirmed the death in Scotland.
The UKHSA added that another 15 males and 15 females have been affected on top of the death.
Severe diarrhoea and extreme abdominal pain are two of the symptoms linked to the potentially deadly bacteria.
Since late July cases linked to the outbreak have been reported across Scotland and England with most reported in December.
Cases linked to the outbreak have been reported ‘across Scotland and England since late July with most reported in December’.
Stuart McAdam, head of incidents at Food Standards Scotland, said: “We are aware that this recalled product may be popular over the festive period, especially as it has been sold as part of a Christmas gift hamper, and so we are urging consumers to check whether they have this product or may have gifted it to others.”
Public Health Scotland said: “We can confirm one death associated with E.coli 0145 in Scotland. We are continuing to monitor the situation.”