E coli death toll hits 19

The death toll from Europe’s E coli rose to at least 19 Friday when an 80-year-old woman succumbed to the infection in Germany.  

Reuters

The woman died in a hospital in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the state health office in Rostock reported.

All but one of the deaths from enterohaemorrhagic E coli poisoning have been in Germany but infections have been reported in 11 other countries.

Regional German health authorities have reported more than 2,000 cases of people falling ill, with symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.

A large majority of the infections have hit women, according to authorities.

Russian Prime Minister on Friday hit back at European Union protests over his country’s ban on all European vegetable imports.

The European Commission has claimed that the move breaks regulations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which Moscow has applied to join.

Putin replied that “we cannot let our people get poisoned” for the sake of WTO rules.