A FOOD bug outbreak that struck down almost 100 people over three weeks has peaked, health officials said last night.

Medical specialists were first alerted to several salmonella cases in the Stanley area of County Durham on Tuesday, July 27.

Since then, the number of cases has risen steadily, and officials last week predicted it would reach 100 last weekend.

But only three new cases have been confirmed since Friday. Last night, there were 98 confirmed cases, four suspected cases and two people still in hospital.

Dr Deb Wilson, chairman of the Health Protection Agency's outbreak control team, said: "We have passed the peak. It is possible that, over the next week, we might get a few more cases, but the number of cases we have been getting each day has certainly been decreasing.

"The number of cases is very large, but most of the cases that have been coming through over the past week are not people who have recently been unwell, they have been unwell over a week ago."

The outbreak was believed to centre on Robson's Fresh Foods, in Front Street, Stanley.

Derwentside District Council ordered it to close on July 29.