STEC outbreak in care homes: Raw minced meat most likely source of infection

Raw minced beef was probably the source of the STEC infections in Belgian care homes in August, according to research by various government agencies. Nine care home residents died as a result of the outbreak and more than 70 people fell ill.

At the end of August, news broke that several residential care homes had been affected by infections with the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacterium. In total, residents of eleven care homes in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels were infected. Nine people died and more than 70 people developed symptoms.

Research by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) and various other agencies, among them the regional health authorities, has now shown that raw minced beef is the most likely cause of the infection.

Eight dead in Belgium from STEC outbreak while source remains unknown

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The investigation showed that beef from the same batch was served in all the residential care centres involved. In total, more than 70 food samples from products in the supply chain were analysed. However, as no samples were available from the batch of meat in question, the source of the infection cannot be confirmed with certainty through laboratory analyses.

“Raw food can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria,” stated Hélène Bonte, spokesperson for the FASFC. “We advise vulnerable consumers such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid these products or to heat them sufficiently. They are at increased risk of serious complications from food infections.”

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