Canadians need not worry about latest E. coli outbreak
Posted Jun 7, 2011 12:13 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Despite Canada’s first confirmed diagnosis, researchers say Canadians have no need to worry about the latest outbreak of E. coli that’s gripped Germany.
More than 2300 have been infected and 23 killed from the new deadly strain of “0104” that produces a toxin that can lead to kidney disease.
University of Calgary Microbiologist Dr. Rebekah Devinney says it’s not known what causes the strain because of the different types of produce involved, but at this point all of those have been ruled out and it’s still a mystery.
Devinney says we don’t have to be particularly worried because if it is food-borne, it’s unlikely to spread here.
She adds Canadians shouldn’t worry about travelling to Europe either and that the authority is now there.
“Use common sense about eating foods and vegetables, make sure things are clean and use good hygiene such as washing your hands,” she says.
The Ontario man who contracted the form of E. coli had just returned from Germany where he had consumed different salads.
Four cases have also been diagnosed in the United States, all of whom were people recently in Germany as well.
