Beansprouts may be to blame for deadly E-coli strain

BEANSPROUTS may be the cause of the toxic E.coli outbreak which has affected 10 countries and so far killed 22 people.

Germany's national disease control centre last night said that, in addition to the 21 people in Germany and one in Sweden who have died, another 2,153 are ill. The Lower Saxony agriculture ministry yesterday reported that locally-grown beansprouts had been identified as the likely cause of the outbreak.

Ministry spokesman Gert Hahne said people were advised to stop eating the sprouts and, although test results have not yet conclusively shown that they are to blame, “all indications speak to them being” the cause.

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There are currently 11 people in the UK with food poisoning apparently linked to the outbreak, all of whom are from or have visited northern Germany. Eight have bloody diarrhoea and three are being treated for haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) – a deadly complication of E.coli.

Experts from the World Health Organisation said the strain of E.coli was extremely rare and has never previously been at the centre of an outbreak.

The UK’s Health Protection Agency is continuing to advise people in the UK to wash and peel all fruit and vegetables while recommending that those travelling to Germany avoid lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes, though there is no warning not to travel.

Some countries, including Russia, have banned imports of produce from all EU states in a bid to prevent the spread of infection.

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