Blame game

At least two people suffering from an E. coli outbreak in the French city of Bordeaux are infected with the same virulent strain that has killed dozens of people in Germany in recent months.

French authorities say ten people have been infected in the Bordeaux area and seven hospitalized. The outbreak may be connected to vegetable sprouts imported from the British company Thompson & Morgan located in the eastern English town of Ipswich.

Noel Mamere, the mayor of the Bordeaux suburb Begles, said the suspect vegetable sprout seeds had been bought at a local shop. The French commerce ministry said the shop's stock, which has been seized, had been supplied by Thompson & Morgan

"The link between the symptoms and consumption of these seeds has so far not been definitively established," the ministry said in a statement.

"Localized event"

Meanwhile, Thompson & Morgan said the outbreak appeared to be "localized to a specific event" in the Bordeaux area and that the seeds themselves may not be the culprit.

"The health and safety of the public is always of paramount concern to Thompson & Morgan and we will continue to fully co-operate with all investigations," the company said in a statement.

Richard Howitt, who represents eastern England in the European parliament, cautioned against premature judgments.

"We must be very clear and learn the lessons of the bungling and mishandling by Germans in their own investigations," Howitt told Sky News television.

Author: Spencer Kimball (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Andreas Illmer