Blame game begins over German E. coli outbreak

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: Deutsche Welle

The highly virulent strain of the Enterohemorrhagic E. coli bacteria (EHEC) claimed its first victim outside Germany on Tuesday, while health authorities in seven other European countries confirmed a total of at least 73 cases of the infection. More than 1,500 cases have been reported in Germany.

A hospital in Sweden announced the death of a woman from the EHEC bacteria. The woman, who was in her 50s, had been treated in the southwestern Swedish town of Boras after a recent visit to Germany.

The gastro-intestinal bacterial infection - believed to stem from contaminated vegetables and possibly meat - has now spread beyond Germany and Sweden to Poland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France and Britain.

Sweden has confirmed 40 cases, Denmark 14, the Netherlands seven, France six, Britain three and Poland, Norway and Switzerland one each.

Read more: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15118081,00.html

[abelenkpe]

1. I thought more people had passed away from this outbreak, no?

Think it's interesting that Spain wants to sue for accusations from Germany while people are getting sick and dying. Really, who's been harmed more? The one accused of selling bad food or the one suffering from consuming bad food?

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. But since Spanish cucumbers have been ruled out, I can see why

The more publicity they get now for the fact that their cucumbers are clean, the less the blame will be wrongly placed. Spain can't do anything about the people getting ill. Why shouldn't it talk about compensation? 55 jobs lost, hopefully just temporarily.

[Celefin]

4. Spanish cucumbers still contaminated though

The EHEC strain responsible for the outbreak has indeed not been found on Spanish cucumbers (yet).
They did find EHEC contamination on 4 samples from Spain though. So these are still not fit for consumption and the Spanish authorities should act to make sure the production process doesn't lead to further contamination.

[Scuba]

2. Let me guess, it was either...

Obama...

Weiner...

George Soros...

or

Karl Marx

[defendandprotect]

5. Amazing that it is so widespread -- and they haven't figured it out yet -- !!

Fecal matter!!!

[Kali]

6. 17%!!!!!11!!!!1!