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Some Canada E. coli Not Linked to
Food
Date
Published: Thursday, November 6th, 2008
Source of Article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4150
Food samples tested for E. coli
at Canada’s Harvey’s Restaurant in North Bay have returned with negative
results. In response, Dr. Catherine Whiting, medical officer of
health with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, said finding
the source is not a process that can be completed overnight, adding that in
these situations there is a “pretty high” potential that a product will not
be identified. Despite this, Whiting said that authorities are
getting closer to determine possible causes of the outbreak.
“I am hopeful we will have a report to release;
however, nothing will be made before December and maybe later,” Whiting
said, noting that the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is working
with many “other agencies,” including heath units in 10 Ontario
communities, Quebec, and British Columbia where people have reported
symptoms typical of E. coli poisoning, such as bloody diarrhea.
Harvey’s
has been closed since October 12 and there is no word on when it will be
reopening. Whiting had the restaurant closed once sufficient evidence
linked a potential E. coli outbreak Harvey’s
so that needed samples could be collected. As of yesterday, 249 cases
remained under investigation. Of those, 49 have been lab confirmed
for E. coli; no less than two people have been hospitalized. Also, a
$17-million class-action lawsuit has been filed against Cara Operations
Limited, the company that runs the Harvey’s
chain.
Meanwhile, yesterday, we reported that E. coli
appears to be sweeping across areas of Canada
with the number of suspected cases linked to an outbreak in Burlington, Ontario
increasing. Also yesterday, the Halton
Region Health Department said officials were investigating 43 suspected E.
coli cases. Just Monday, the figure was at 28. The outbreak
appears to have originated from the Johnathan’s
Family Restaurant in Burlington
and, to date, three of the 48 cases are confirmed
to be E. coli strain O157:H7. Also, the “molecular fingerprint” from
the Burlington outbreak matches those in Niagara, in which 47 suspected
cases led to the closure of two restaurants. Twelve of the 47
suspected cases there have since been confirmed. Both M.T. Bellies
restaurant in Welland,
Ontario and the Little Red
Rooster restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake have been linked to 21 cases each
of suspected E. coli infection. The remaining five suspected cases
have not yet been linked to any food establishment.
Dr. Robin Williams, medical officer for the Niagara health authority, said the strain of E. coli
O157:H7 was very rare and given that three restaurants in two regions were
infected with the same strain, common food distributors are being
investigated to help locate the infection’s source. Williams noted
that, while the investigation is in early stages, it seems that salad
ingredients are a potential culprit. The outbreak centered around the Harry’s restaurant
is the third E. coli outbreak ongoing in North Bay, Ontario.
No contamination source has been identified in any of the cases and
investigations continue.
E. coli may cause fatal blood poisoning, cystitis,
deadly septicemia, and death. In the US, E. coli is the leading
cause of food-borne illness, sickening about 73,000 and killing 61; last
year, over 22 million pounds of beef and vegetables were recalled due to E.
coli outbreaks.
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