Two more deaths and 300 new reported cases brings the gruesome e coli death toll to 26--25 in Germany and one in Sweden. Reports of those sickened rose to 2,648, 700 of which are hospitalized with complications from e coli that cause kidney failure.
Today, the EU held an emergency meeting in Berlin where officials expressed concern over Germany's handling of the crisis. Some have criticized officials for not identifying and controlling the outbreak far sooner. The outbreak was first reported on May 2.
"I cannot yet give an all-clear, but after an analysis of the numbers there's reason for hope," Health Minister Daniel Bahr told ARD television. "The numbers are continuously falling -- which nonetheless means that there can still be new cases and that one unfortunately has to expect new deaths too -- but overall new infections are clearly going down."
But the Koch institute isn't so sure the crisis has been fully contained. Can the falling reported cases be attributed to efforts to contain the outbreak or to warnings that people stay away from raw produce?
Meanwhile, the investigation continues.
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