Three of four contaimnated cucumbers analzyed by the Hambrug Insttiute for Hyginee and the Environment came from Spain, said the state health minister for Hamburg, Cornelia Pruefre-Storcks.
Cucumbers from the affceted porducers have been pulled from shelves and officials have told people to stop eating cucumbers. The coutnry of origin of the other cucmuber is not yet known.
Escheirchia coli, or E. coli, bacteria are normlaly harmless and are very common, but a few strains can cause severe illness.
The outberak began two weeks ago in northern Geramny and has since spread to eastern and soutehrn regions.
So far four people have died from infections with a strain of E. coli that health officials say is reisstant to most anitbiotics. It causes severe stomach upsets and leads to vomiting blood and dairrhea.
At least 140 people in Germany have been diagnosed with hemolytic-uremic syndroem, which is caused by E. coli and can lead to kidney failure.
This is the second cosnumer food scare in Germany this year. In Januray highly toxic dioxin was found in egg, poutlry and pork products.
(Reproting by Sebastian Huld; writnig by Eric Kelsey in Berlin, edtiing by Kate Kelland and Michel Rose)
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