Fearing an E. coli outbreak, four nations on Monday banned some imported fresh vegetables from Germany and Spain. At least 14 people have died in Germany after eating tainted vegetables, dubbed “killer cucumbers,” which are believed to have come from Spain. Austria, the Czech Republic, and France have removed organic cucumbers from their shelves, while Russia has taken it a step further and announced a ban on cucumbers, tomatoes, and salad produced in Germany and Spain. Spanish officials warned against putting all blame on their exports, saying their “image” had been damaged by this outbreak. Germany’s public health institute has confirmed 329 cases of E. coli, but some reports have put the number closer to 1,200.
