The WA health department confirmed two state-based cases of salmonella were not linked to contaminated lettuce, as the suspected number of linked cases rose across the country.

A WA Health Department spokeswoman said although the two local cases were the same strain of salmonella linked to lettuce in the eastern states, they were not caused by that product.

“WA Health has advised previously that the lettuce linked to a salmonella outbreak in the eastern states is not imported or consigned to WA,” the spokeswoman said.

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She said the particular strain of salmonella was relatively common, with one to two cases reported in WA each month.

Selected pre-packaged lettuce products – supplied by Victorian-based Tripod Farmers – linked to a salmonella outbreak forced a nationwide recall the week.

The number of suspected salmonella cases linked to lettuce from Victoria had risen, with 144 reported cases across Australia.

The number of likely cases of salmonella anatum strain had risen to 134 across five states, while the number of confirmed cases remained at 10, including nine in Victoria and one in NSW, Victorian health authorities said on Thursday.

No cases had been reported in the ACT, Northern Territory, and Tasmania.

Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services was still investigating the source of the salmonella anatum contamination, which had been linked to salad leaf products produced by Tripod Farmers at Bacchus Marsh, west of Melbourne.

Tripod Farmers had voluntarily recalled a variety of its products, sold through Coles and Woolworths supermarkets and to the food trade.

Coles and Woolworths said this week they had pulled the affected packaged lettuce from its shelves until further notice and assured The New Daily that any other lettuce products sold in-store were safe to consume.

Weight loss company Lite N’ Easy was also caught up in the recall, instructing consumers not to eat specific pre-packaged affected lunches that contained lettuce, while 7-Eleven recalled some of its pre-made sandwiches.

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