E Coli Bacteria outbreak leading to contaminated cucumbers is on the rise, killing people in Germany, Sweden and spreading fast in Europe. It killed its 15th victim in Germany on Tuesday (May 31, 2011). It happened to a Swedish woman who was traveling in Germany.
This E-Coli bacteria have rendered more than 1,000 people ill in Germany, Sweden, Spain, France, Denmark, Netherlands and Britain with maximum cases in Germany. People who have been traveling to the latter have been mostly infected. This has led to diplomatic friction between Germany and countries like France, Spain, Sweden and Russia. The source of the dangerous strain of the bacteria is still unknown, according to authorities. The maximum cases of E-coli bacteria has been found in Northern Germany.
The E. coli pathogen has been observed on cucumbers imported from Spain, but it is not understandable if they were contaminated there, during transit, or possibly in Germany. Health Minister Daniel Bahr at a news conference late on Monday said, “”The situation is tense but it can be dealt with.” The German government has indentified the disease as Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a type of E. coli known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). As of now, Russia has banned vegetables imports from Germany and Spain and has said that the ban may be expanded to all European Union member states
