The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) have issued an alert of an outbreak of E.coli 0157:H7 food poisoning in Canada that has left one person dead and 25 ill.
Cheese from Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, has been identified as the source of the outbreak.
E.coli 0157:H7 is a particularly nasty strain of E.coli that can cause illness (most are harmless). Symptoms can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting, much like other food borne illnesses. 5-10% of people infected develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), an acute renal failure which can be fatal. The young, the old and pregnant women are particularly at risk of developing complications.
People who think they could be sick should contact a doctor. At the present time, there is no evidence of a more widespread contamination.
Click here to read the full alert from the PHAC website