Spanish cucumbers are being blamed for an E. coli outbreak that killed 10 people in Germany and sickened hundreds. Video courtesy of Reuters and photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The outbreak forced Russia to ban imports of some fresh vegetables from Spain and Germany out of fear they could be contaminated, while Austrian authorities sent inspectors to supermarkets to make sure Spanish vegetables suspected of contamination have been removed. In Italy, the country's paramilitary Carabinieri has been on the lookout since Saturday for suspected contaminated imports from Spain, the Netherlands and other European countries.
Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, a European Union spokeswoman, said German authorities had identified cucumbers from the Spanish cities of Almeira and Malaga as possible sources of contamination and that a third suspect batch, originating either in the Netherlands or in Denmark and traded in Germany, is also under investigation.
In Germany, which has recorded the most infections and all known deaths, officials said they believe that at least some Spanish cucumbers tainted with enterohaemorrhagic E.coli, also known as EHEC, have carried the bacteria, although they still have not been able to determine the exact source. An EU official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to standing regulations, said the transport chain was long, and the cucumbers from Spain could have been contaminated at any point along the route.
Spanish officials, meanwhile, called on German and EU authorities to clarify their findings.
Spain's Environment Minister Rosa Aguilar told journalists that "it's not true" that the outbreak started in Spain, and said probes now being conducted must be completed as soon as possible. She added that German authorities "must stop fingering Spain" for the outbreak.
"We need urgent action…to stop the damage on the reputation of Spain's producers," Ms. Aguilar said. "They implement sanitary checkups responsibly, even above European Union requirements."
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