There have been 266 confirmed cases and 58 suspected cases of an outbreak of salmonella infection linked to chocolate Easter eggs, European health officials have stated.
The cases have been reported in 14 European countries, Canada and the United States with the vast majority found in children.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said 86.3 per cent of the cases were among children aged 10 or younger, and for all cases in Europe with information available, 41.3 per cent of them were admitted to hospital. No deaths have been reported.
