Bacterial outbreak in Europe kills nine

Germany's national disease control centre says the number of people falling ill in connection with a mysterious bacterial outbreak linked to tainted vegetables continues to rise. More than 1,000 people have been affected by the bacteria and there are nine confirmed deaths.

The enterohaemorrhagic E.coli bacteria, also known as EHEC, has been found on cucumbers imported from Spain though the exact source is unknown. Hundreds of people have been sickened in other European countries, and Russia's chief sanitary agency has banned the imports of cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh salad from Spain and Germany, pending further notice.

“It’s a type of intestinal bacteria that is able to cause bloody diarrhoea,” says Dr Hilde Kruse, Programme Manager for Food Safety at the UN World Health Organization’s regional office in Rome. “In some patients, there are severe complications with kidney failure.”

Dr Kruse advises the adherence to good hygienic practices to prevent infection: “Wash your hands after visiting the toilet; wash your hands before eating and before preparing food.”

Listen to Dr Hilde Kruse’s full interview with Kelsea Brennan-Wessels: