In 2022, there were 899 cases of salmonella infection. This marks a third consecutive year of increase. Salmonella cases in 2023 were more frequent than before the coronavirus pandemic, when there were 1,120 cases.
The increasing number of outbreaks is also seen elsewhere in Europe and follows a general trend. The largest salmonella outbreak in Denmark in 2023 involved 31 registered cases. In total, there were 18 outbreaks last year, a notable rise from the 11 the previous year.
Most cases were linked to imported chicken meat. The outbreaks mainly involved the Salmonella Enteritidis variant. This strain is most commonly found in chickens, poultry, and eggs.
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People can become infected through contact with animals or food contaminated with the bacteria.
The source of infection for one outbreak was cooked chicken meat used for kebabs. That specific outbreak was part of an international incident involving more than 200 patients across 13 countries.