German E. Coli Strain Not Seen in Prior Outbreaks, WHO Says
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More than 1,600 people in Europe have been infected with a strain of E. coli bacteria that’s never been seen in an outbreak before, the World Health Organization said, as authorities search for the source of the malady.
The bacteria, which began spreading in Germany, has sickened 1,064 there, an increase of 268, while 470 people have symptoms of a condition that can cause acute kidney failure, up by 97 from yesterday, the WHO said today in a statement on its website. Cases have also been reported in nine other European countries. Seventeen people in Germany and one in Sweden have died, Deutsche Presse Agentur reported, citing local officials.