NZer in Germany follows E. coli warnings

Photo / AP

A New Zealander living in Germany says he is heeding national health warnings as a deadly E. coli bacterial outbreak grips Germany.

So far, 18 people had died from the bacteria, with 1733 people in Germany left ill, including 520 suffering life-threatening complications which could cause kidney failure.

Most E. coli bacteria are relatively harmless, but the latest strain is a complication of a particular type which produces toxins that damage blood cells and can cause kidney failure.

Additional cases had been reported outside Germany but in most of these the affected people had recently visited Germany.

Michael Leslie, who lives with his German wife in Munich in the south, told NZPA he was not too concerned about their health because there had not been too many cases in south Germany.

"Here we see it through the national news," he said.

"Over the news, they are saying lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, there's a few varieties of veges that they are saying you shouldn't have raw. At the very least wash and peel them."

They were heeding the health warnings and making made sure they washed everything before eating.

German woman Jule Scherer, who works for the New Zealand Press Association but is home for a holiday, said the bacteria seemed to be most rampant in the north.

Some people were being careful with eating salads and cucumber, but she was not watching what she ate, she said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mfat) warned New Zealanders of the outbreak through their SafeTravel website

"The outbreak is centred in northern Germany but cases have been reported across the country," Mfat's SafeTravel website said.

The strain of infection suspected in the outbreak had not yet shown up in New Zealand, Ministry of Health chief adviser Dr John Holmes told NZPA.

- NZPA