Tag Archives: Illness

8 kids sick with E. coli from burgers in France

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Eight children in Northern France have been admitted to hospital after eating beef burgers bought frozen from the German discount chain Lidl.

"One of the children was put on dialysis overnight," Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said on Radio Classique. "His condition has worsened."

The children, all aged between 20 months and 8 years, fell ill with symptoms such as bloody diarrhea. One was discharged from hospital on Wednesday.

Health authorities have blamed the contagion on beef burgers sold frozen for distribution under the "Steaks Country" label.

Privately-owned Lidl, which distributes burgers that are produced by French frozen-beef supplier SEB-CERF, has pulled all "Steaks Country" brand burgers from supermarket shelves.

Selena Gomez blames junk food habit for illness

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Pop star Selena Gomez says she’s all better after being treated for food poisoning and exhaustion after becoming ill following her appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on June 9.

"I’m good now, thank you. I’m so much better. I do eat. The problem is I don’t eat right. I love everything that’s possibly not good for me."

Junk food is not synonymous with food poisoning.

German E. coli O104 update: 10 dead, 276 HUS, 1000 sick

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More women have died in Germany from an E. coli O104 outbreak linked to cucumbers grown in Spain, bringing the death toll to 10. Of the 1,000 or so sick, 276 have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Hospitals in the city of Hamburg, where more than 400 people are believed to have been infected, were said to be overwhelmed and sending patients to clinics elsewhere in the country.

Austria’s food safety agency ordered a recall of organically grown cucumbers, tomatoes and aubergines supplied by a Spanish producer which is thought to be the source of the outbreak. It said 33 Austrian stores were affected.

According to Denmark’s National Serum Institute, there are nine confirmed cases, with at least another eight people suspected of having the intestinal infection, also known as VTEC, in Denmark.

Sweden has reported 25 E. coli cases, of whom 10 developed HUS, according to the European Commission, while Britain counted three cases (two HUS).

Officials in the Czech Republic said the cucumbers may have been exported there, as well as to Austria, Hungary and Luxembourg.

"As long as the experts in Germany and Spain have not been able to name the source of the agent without any doubt, the general warning for vegetables still holds," German Agriculture and Consumer Protection Minister Ilse Aigner said on Sunday in a report in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

The European Commission says experts are now probing two agricultural sites in southern Spain, in Almeria and Malaga, suspected of exporting products, most likely cucumbers, tainted with E. coli.

German E. coli O104 update: 7 dead, 276 HUS, 800 sick

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More women have died in Germany from an E. coli O104 outbreak linked to cucumbers grown in Spain, bringing the death toll to seven (or nine, depending on the media source). Of the 800 or so sick, 276 have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The European Commission says experts are now probing two agricultural sites in southern Spain, in Almeria and Malaga, suspected of exporting products, most likely cucumbers, tainted with E.coli.

Fear of infection has lead many in Germany to change their eating habits. A survey carried out by Emnid for Bild am Sonntag has found that 58 percent of Germans are following the advice of the Robert Koch Institute and not eating raw cucumbers, lettuce or tomatoes.

Farmers are threatening to sue German health authority the Robert Koch Institute and the Federal Consumer Ministry for damages over warnings about eating vegetables over what they say has needlessly damaged their business.
 

3 dead in German E. coli outbreak; more than 400 sick

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The food safety news from Germany continues to be disturbing. Below is a translation of a German article, so excuse any inaccuracies.

The killer germ called EHEC now appeared three lives: In Lower Saxony (Diepholz) passed away a woman (83). She was admitted nine days ago because of bloody diarrhea hospitalized and treated in hospital. The laboratory evidence of EHEC infection was positive. The woman died on Saturday. Investigations by the health department in the immediate death Diepholz also ongoing.

Meanwhile it was announced that a woman possibly died (25) to EHEC in Bremen. The young woman had shown the symptoms of EHEC pathogen, such as the Bremen health authority said. The EHEC pathogens had not been demonstrated so laboratory diagnosis. In Schleswig-Holstein, died in a 80-year-old woman infected. Whether the pathogen was the cause of death is still unclear.

In their search for the source of the infections with the dangerous intestinal bacteria EHEC is making the Frankfurt FDA. All 19 previously in the Main metropolis ill have eaten in the same canteen, a Frankfurt-based consultancy, said Bellinger Oswald from the Health Department. Two canteens of PWC Consulting had been closed on Monday as a precaution.

The fault is probably a loaded delivery to the canteen: "We assume that the source of infection is located in Northern Germany," said Bellinger. Currently, experts evaluated the delivery notes of the two affected canteens. "We still believe that the transfer has taken place through raw food." Safety reasons are investigated and the kitchen staff, results of samples are expected by the end of the week. As long as the canteens were closed.

More than 40 of these patients also suffered under the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is caused by the intestinal bacteria.
 

First death in German E. coli outbreak; up to 200 sick

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A deadly outbreak of the E. coli bacterium has claimed its first victim in Germany, authorities confirmed Tuesday, following reports that at least 140 people had fallen ill after becoming infected over recent weeks.

Health officials said the 83-year-old from the northern state of Lower Saxony died Saturday after having suffered since May 15 with the bacteria.

The outbreak, thought to have been spread through contaminated vegetables, is unusual in that it has affected mainly adults.

Child disabled due to tainted meat sues Winnipeg grocery chains

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A Winnipeg child who ate ground beef tainted with deadly E. coli bacteria — commonly known as hamburger disease — will never see again or be able to look after himself. The nine-year-old child, who is a permanent ward of Winnipeg Child and Family Services, is suing Westfair Foods, Superstore and XL Foods for general damages, including care costs throughout his life and loss of future income.

"This is a child with catastrophic injuries," lawyer Norm Cuddy said on Monday.

Cuddy said the child was hospitalized in June 2004, but all of his injuries weren’t known until a few years later.

Another lawyer working on the lawsuit, Chris Wullum, said the child is a permanent ward of Winnipeg CFS because the mother wasn’t able to look after him with all of his special needs.

According to the statement of claim, filed in Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench last week, the child’s mother bought the ground beef at the Superstore on McPhillips Street.

The child suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome, received a kidney transplant, has spastic triplegia, severe and ongoing pain and has developmental delays, including not being able to take care of himself.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency initiated a recall of the ground beef products in August 2004 after two people in Manitoba were poisoned with E. coli bacteria in July 2004 and after tracing back those and other cases across the country to find the source of the meat.

Pat’s Schoolhouse won’t be buying from Mum’s Kitchen; Malaysian caterer fired, 346 kids 7 teachers had food poisoning

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A total of 346 children as well as seven teachers from Pat’s Schoolhouse centers have now been reported to have fallen ill with food poisoning, up from the 218 previously reported (right, photo from Asia One).

The incident occurred on Tuesday and the affected were from eight out of the chain’s 14 centres, reported the Straits Times.

Pat’s Schoolhouse has also terminated the services of the caterer, Mum’s Kitchen.

In a statement to the media yesterday, the chain said: ‘Since May 12, all the meals for Pat’s Schoolhouse centres have been prepared by their in-house cooks.
 

Japan E. coli O111 outbreak claims fourth victim, 70 ill

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Jiji Press reported this morning that a woman died Thursday of food poisoning from E. coli O111 in central Japan, bringing the total number of deaths linked to a raw meat dish served at a restaurant chain to four, while 70 others have fallen ill.

She went to a restaurant in Tonami, Toyama prefecture, with her family, including another woman who died Wednesday. The two had eaten yukhoe, a dish similar to tartare, served at the eatery run by Foods Forus Co, based in nearby Kanazawa.

A 6-year-old boy also fell ill and died Friday after eating the dish at the same restaurant.

Another boy died a week ago in nearby Fukui prefecture after eating the same dish at another of the company’s restaurants.

Jiji reported that 70 other people were suspected to be suffering from food poisoning after eating at the company’s restaurants. One of them, confirmed to be infected with the E coli O111 strain, is in critical condition.

Third person dies from E. coli O111 in Japan

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Serving raw meat remains a bad idea as a woman in Japan died Wednesday of food poisoning linked to a raw meat dish at a restaurant chain in central Japan.

The woman had eaten yukhoe, similar to tartare, at the same restaurant in Tonami, Toyama prefecture, where a 6-year-old boy had fallen ill and died Friday after eating the same dish, Jiji Press reported. The restaurant is run by Foods Forus Co, based in nearby Kanazawa.

Another boy died a week ago in Fukui prefecture after eating the same dish at another of the company’s restaurants. Both boys were infected with E coli O111 strain.

Jiji reported Tuesday that 56 other people were confirmed to be suffering from food poisoning after eating the same dish at four of the company’s restaurants.

The company said at a news conference that it had failed for the last two years to conduct hygiene inspections of raw meat supplied for the dish by a Tokyo-based wholesaler.