An outbreak of Salmonella Hvittingfoss infection in a tourist group back from Hong Kong, Southeast China

•We reported an outbreak of S. Hvittingfoss infection in humans in China for the first time. •The infection of rare serovar S. Hvittingfoss can cause diarrhea, fever, nausea, abdominal pain and dizziness, and so forth. •ST446 was the predominant linage in documented S. Hvittingfoss isolates in China. •The S. Hvittingfoss strain responsible for this outbreak in the tourist group back from Hongkong was distinct from strains sporadically reported in mainland China over the decades. •WGS, phylogenetic and epidemiological analysis unveiled the simultaneous appearance of this outbreak S. Hvittingfoss clone in England regions.