HAMBURG'S HEALTH SENATOR HAS STATED THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AT LEAST THREE DEATHS.

Cucumbers from Spain seem to be the cause of the serious intestinal infections that have caused at least three deaths in Germany so far., according to the analytical results announced by the Health Senator of the city of Hamburg, Cornelia Examiner-Storcks.

The outbreak of a particularly aggressive strain of the intestinal bacteria Escherichia coli has its origin in that salad vegetable from Spain, according to the results of analyzes carried out by the Hamburg Institute of Hygiene, pointed out the city senator.

“Information on its specific origin and other details is currently being collected”, said the senator, who stressed that the analyzes are limited to the city and its conclusions are not necessarily decisive for other affected places.. “It cannot be ruled out that other foods may also have been the source of the infection.”, said the senator from Hamburg, city ​​from which the focus of the disease that has been spreading throughout Germany from north to south has started.

In the meantime, experts from the Münster University Clinic, west of Germany, have identified the strain of intestinal bacteria as the 0104H4 variant, a rare mutation of the bacteria Escherichia coli, resistant to many drugs.

This syndrome has been the cause of the death of at least three women, and is characterized by kidney failure, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, Coagulation defects and variable neurological signs.

The first victim, a woman of 83 years, died in the state of Lower Saxony, the second, of 89 years, in Schleswig-Holstein, and the third, a young woman from 24 years, a Bremen, all cases in northern Germany.

While, The Robert Koch Institute in Berlin reported that there are 214 registered cases of people affected with HUS, mostly in northern Germany and called on the population not to consume tomatoes, uncooked lettuce and cucumbers.

Reactions

On the other hand, Spanish exporters have harshly criticized these statements without being verified and confirmed.. “It cannot be stated that these cucumbers are the cause and at the same time say that we are still waiting to know their specific origin.”, some sources stated.

Others, They understand that the damage has already been done. It is a very typical way of acting of the German authorities whose pulse does not tremble every time Spain and its horticultural productions are in the spotlight., found in flour-based foods.

On the other hand, Canarian exporters have been very critical and say they feel calm since the cucumber harvest ended two months ago, reported the Fedex spokesperson, Roberto Goiriz.

In addition, insisted on the obligation to have the necessary data to launch this type of statements that, sometimes, It seems more like they serve other interests, said Góiriz..

However, the damage has already been done. With severe accusations like those made by the German senator, the only thing that is achieved is to damage the image of Spanish productions.