The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced that it is working with the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial authorities to determine the source of a foodborne illness outbreak in the country.
A total of 16 people were affected by the foodborne illness outbreak due to E coli O157:H7 contamination - six cases of illness were reported in New Brunswick, five in Nova Scotia and five in Ontario.
The agency noted that based on the ongoing epidemiological and microbiological investigations conducted to date, it is likely that the people involved all got sick from the same source. However, till date, there has been no confirmed link between the illnesses and a food source.
CFIA noted that if a potentially unsafe food source is identified, it will take immediate action to protect consumers.
E coli O157:H7 is a bacterium that can lead to bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure. This foodborne illness can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly, newborn infants and those with compromised immune systems.
