Government steps up inspections for E. coli

As a virulent strain of E. coli continues sweeping across Europe, Canadian officials have started clamping down on European produce coming into the country, reports the Globe and Mail.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has increased controls on cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes being imported from the European countries that are currently effected by the outbreak.

Incoming shipments of the produce will be flagged and tested more intensely for any signs of the virulent strain of bacteria responsible for the outbreak in Europe.

So far, 1,600 cases have been reported in Europe and 18 people are dead in Germany from the super-bacteria. While there have been no cases in Canada, two people who picked up the bug are now in the U.S., having recently returned from a trip to Germany, where the outbreak began.

Health officials around the world are still struggling to identify the source of the E. coli. Originally, it was thought to come from cucumbers imported into Germany from Spain, but further tests exonerated the Spanish produce.