Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
E. coli illness spreads as death toll continues to rise. On Thursday, June 16, eight children
in northern France between 18 months and 8 years of age were found to be seriously ill
from E. coli infections and seven are still hospitalized with the potentially severe kidney
ailment known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). French officials said the infected
children had eaten beef burgers from a German discount chain store in France, with the meat
originating in animals slaughtered in France, the Netherlands and Germany. On Friday, doctors
said the children were in stable condition, except for one 2-year-old boy who has had
to be placed in a medical coma with breathing assistance due to acute kidney failure and
neurological damage. Two new cases were also being confirmed.
Meanwhile, French health authorities ordered 10 tons of the beef burger patties to be recalled
from supermarkets, saying that the rare strain of E. coli afflicting these children was not
linked to the strain that caused Germany's deadly outbreak, which has now claimed at
least 39 lives and infected more than 3,500 people in recent weeks, many with critical
kidney disease.
In the USA, 13 people in the states of Tennessee and Virginia have fallen ill to a strain of
E. coli that officials state is the same as one identified in a 1993 outbreak that killed
four people who had consumed contaminated hamburger beef.
Amidst current fears of further E. coli contamination, Russia has banned meat imports from 14 countries
including Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. Iranian health officials
have stated that they are fully prepared to report any E. coli cases but do not anticipate
problems as they do not import European vegetables and have already initiated preventive airport
screening for travelers coming from Europe. Meanwhile, the European Union on Tuesday approved
additional aid of €210 million to assist fruit and vegetable farmers with lost revenues
during the initial E. coli outbreak.
In sadness for the loss of precious lives, we thank all the health officials and personnel
working to alleviate the suffering from this affliction as well as the European Union for
their aid. With Heaven's mercy, may all such food-borne illnesses vanish as societies are
protected by benevolent and compassionate living�