E - Coli Outbreak in Germany Spreads to UK

Over the last two weeks here in Germany people have become ill from eating Cucumber imported from Spain.

At the last count today 700 people are in Hospital and 5 have died due to the virus.

I have just spoken to my Mother in the UK and she tells me people are becoming ill in the UK too ?

Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

www.thelocal.de...

Originally posted by linkshot1000
Over the last two weeks here in Germany people have become ill from eating Cucumber imported from Spain.

At the last count today 700 people are in Hospital and 5 have died due to the virus.

I have just spoken to my Mother in the UK and she tells me people are becoming ill in the UK too ?

Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

www.thelocal.de...

An e.coli outbreak has been confirmed at a school in Bristol. Seven cases of e.coli have now been confirmed at Redfield Edge Primary School, which was closed on 20 May after three children became ill. The children have received hospital treatment, while another 40 children showing milder symptoms are being tested for the infection. The source of the infection is unknown but there was no evidence that the outbreak was linked to food served in the school. The school is currently being deep cleaned while experts try to establish the source of the outbreak. Dr David Hunt, from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said: At any time of year we would expect to see a variety of gastrointestinal bugs, such as norovirus, causing some milder illness in school settings.

www.meatinfo.co.uk...

Blooming typical.

I've gone on a health kick last week and am on a strict diet of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and other bland tasteless things in order to trim up the old abs for my holidays in five weeks. Try to be healthy then this happens.
They were and are all produced in Spain.

Apart from a craving for pie and chips, I feel fine.

I've not heard of anyone else becoming sick.

Originally posted by linkshot1000
Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

So you're basically admitting openly that your scary thread title is just misleading sensationalist scaremongering based on no evidence at all.

Originally posted by linkshot1000
I have just spoken to my Mother in the UK and she tells me people are becoming ill in the UK too ?

Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

In the national papers here in the UK there has been reported cases of three people being diagnosed with the killer E.coli strain, but all three are Germans who came to the UK. I would suspect from the report that its just a rogue batch of Spanish cucumbers on route to Germany that slipped through the safety net.

reply to post by alfa1


700 + people in hospital ! no evidence ?

How does something as benign as a cucumber end up being a vessel for E- Coli in the first place ? Was it shipped alongside raw chicken ?

E-Coli typically lurks in meats and dairy produce apparently.

reply to post by linkshot1000


Hallo, there is already another treath about the outbreak, its getting more and more interesting, seems like the german secret service BND is getting involved. you can read it here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I'm going to have to research thi smore, because just an hour ago they were reporting on it and interviewing doctors on the radio and they claimed not to know exactly how the break out originated. Nothing at all about cucumbers!
I have heard that the cases have spread to denmark and sweden today.

reply to post by DOSmallorca


buenos tardes amigo que tal ? ahora veo tu "thread" gracias

reply to post by linkshot1000


So it would seem the plot thickens as more and more people become ill.

The world's biggest outbreak of a deadly form of E.coli bacteria has claimed another life as it continues to spread across Europe.


Health officials say the virus, believed to have originated from organic cucumbers imported from Spain , has killed 10 people and infected hundreds more in Germany.

The epicentre of the outbreak has been in the country's north with more than 270 people contracting the disease in recent weeks - four times the normal annual figure of about 60.

Three cases have also been reported in Britain , a further 25 in Sweden and seven in Denmark.

In Austria there have been two cases, while the Netherlands and Switzerland have each had one suspected case.

Originally posted by alfa1

Originally posted by linkshot1000
Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

So you're basically admitting openly that your scary thread title is just misleading sensationalist scaremongering based on no evidence at all.

Or keep quiet and not let anyone have a chance of making their own decisions based on what few facts we are (as an online community) are trying to gather?

www.laramieboomerang.com...

Spanish vegetables suspected of contamination with a potentially deadly bacteria are being recalled from stores in Austria and the Czech Republic to prevent the spread of a deadly outbreak, officials said Sunday.

also

www.thelocal.se...

Ten Swedes are severly ill and many more are suffering other effects from a virulent enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) bacteria following the recent outbreak of the disease in Northern Germany.

TIP: Wash all your veg with boiled and slightly salted water. Or just be careful with what you eat.

That's not fear mongering. It's called information.

Originally posted by mr-lizard
That's not fear mongering. It's called information.

Actually it is very much fearmongering.
Although there is no doubt that it is very deadly serious on the continent, with cases in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, the thread title "spreads to uk" is based on nothing more than "I have spoken to my mother".
The fact stands that even now several days later there is still NOTHING to indicate it has spread to the UK.
Totally sensationalist thread title for a serious issue.

it was on yahoo 'Cucumber E.Coli' From Spain Hits Britain

uk.news.yahoo.com...=%252Fvideo%252Fskyworldnews-14898227%2 52Fcucumber-e-coli-from-spain-hits-britain-25380706.html

Originally posted by slidingdoor
How does something as benign as a cucumber end up being a vessel for E- Coli in the first place ? Was it shipped alongside raw chicken ?

E-Coli typically lurks in meats and dairy produce apparently.

crossbreeding?

I always wash and peel the skin off cucumbers anyway. The skin can give you a bad tummy so whip it off.

Originally posted by Suspiria
I always wash and peel the skin off cucumbers anyway. The skin can give you a bad tummy so whip it off.

Dangerous advice

Originally posted by TribeOfManyColours

Originally posted by Suspiria
I always wash and peel the skin off cucumbers anyway. The skin can give you a bad tummy so whip it off.

Dangerous advice

Tell that to my OH, he ends up doubled up in agony every time he eats the skin.

Cucumber contains small patches that taste bitter. These portions contain the extremely toxic tetracyclic triterpenoids or cucurbitacins compound. Excessive consumption of this compound can cause even death.

Read more: www.brighthub.com...

Originally posted by alfa1

Originally posted by linkshot1000
Could this be a simple hygine problem or perhaps something more ..... ?

So you're basically admitting openly that your scary thread title is just misleading sensationalist scaremongering based on no evidence at all.

Evidence of what?

Originally posted by alfa1

Originally posted by mr-lizard
That's not fear mongering. It's called information.

Actually it is very much fearmongering.
Although there is no doubt that it is very deadly serious on the continent, with cases in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, the thread title "spreads to uk" is based on nothing more than "I have spoken to my mother".
The fact stands that even now several days later there is still NOTHING to indicate it has spread to the UK.
Totally sensationalist thread title for a serious issue.

From the RSOE EDIS Emergency and Disaster Information Service:

A deadly cucumber E.coli virus carried by organic cucumbers believed to have originated in Almeria and Malaga, Spain has infected three German nationals in the UK.

Epidemic Hazard
MultiCountries
Germany, Sweden, Britain, the Netherlands, France, Austria and Denmark

Situation Update No. 10

A deadly cucumber E.coli virus carried by organic cucumbers believed to have originated in Almeria and Malaga, Spain has infected three German nationals in the UK. Only two deaths have been officially confirmed so far and there are no reports of secondary infection in the UK.

However, the HPA has told travellers to follow the advice of German authorities and avoid eating raw tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce until further notice. Anyone returning from a trip to Germany with symptoms of the virus, which include bloody diarrhoea, have been urged to seek immediate medical attention. Investigations are underway to pinpoint the source of the infected cucumbers and products have been removed from the German retail market as a precaution.

Although there are no reports of the infected cucumbers having reached Britain's shops, the European Commission indicates that the Spanish authorities have yet to establish the exact production site of the produce in question. The HPA head of the gastrointestinal, emerging and zoonotic infections department, Dr Dilys Morgan, explained: 'We are keeping a close watch for potential cases reported in England and are working with colleagues in the devolved administrations to recommend they do the same.'

hisz.rsoe.hu...

hisz.rsoe.hu...

As I understand it, a few travellers/tourists were infected in Germany and then went ill when they came to the UK.

And that would probably be the same current scenario as the Swedes who probably got infected during trips to Germany - and not from any vegetables which were bought from any Swedish shops or markets - this is what they're saying about the situation so far!

However, I actually read somewhere yesterday that some people (travellers to Northen Germany) in Western Sweden had infected other family members with the virulent enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) when they went back home to their families in Sweden.

I'm going to post that link if I can find it again!

EDIT: Well, I didn't find the original link in English but I found another link which says the same:

German E.coli outbreak spreads to Sweden

According to Sofie Ivarsson, epidemiologist at the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control (Smitskyddsinstitutet), it is the complication haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) that causes patients serious trouble.

The institute was informed of the first Swedish case during the second week in May. More Swedes are expected to fall ill because it takes a while before a person who has contracted the disease first starts showing symptoms.

The institute is taking the situation seriously and has urged hospitals to be take extra care with patients seeking care for EHEC-like symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea or abdominal pain and to quickly test them for E.coli infection.

The institute is now urging Swedes to be careful when traveling to Germany. Apart from Sweden and Germany, cases have been reported in Britain, the Netherlands and Denmark.

EHEC is a very contagious disease and can pass from person to person.

“We have a few of these cases as well, where family members have passed the disease among each other,” Per Follin, a specialist on infectious disease from western Sweden, told TT.

www.thelocal.se...#