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EHEC in MV: Dangerous infections are increasing – the health risk!
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania continues to fight EHEC outbreaks; Health Minister announces new guidelines.
EHEC in MV: Dangerous infections are increasing – the health risk!
The concerns about EHEC infections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are far from over. Health Minister Stefanie Drese decided on November 12th to no longer publish the number of illnesses in the status report of the State Office for Health and Social Affairs, which caused political waves. How Northern Courier Reportedly, a total of 166 cases have been recorded since the outbreak of EHEC diarrheal illness on August 11, with 65 of these illnesses occurring in children.
The EHEC outbreak, which has plagued the region since mid-August, appears to have stopped for the time being ndr reports. According to the Minister of Health, there is currently no current infection rate, but the cause of the cluster remains unclear. Experts are looking for possible food sources as a source of infection, with suspicion pointing to contamination at the beginning of food production chains.
The worrying numbers
The situation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has developed dramatically since the summer. In 2024, there were 113 reported EHEC cases through calendar week 46. This year, this number has more than doubled to 289 cases over the same period. This and the nationwide figures, where 5,814 cases were recorded by the 46th calendar week, show that EHEC remains a serious issue. It should be noted that the EHEC bacteria produce strong cell toxins that can cause severe diarrhea or even the dangerous hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can result in long-term kidney damage.
- 166 registrierte EHEC-Fälle in MV seit August
- 65 der Fälle betreffen Kinder
- 289 Fälle im laufenden Jahr, deutlich höher als 2024
- Bundesweit 5.814 EHEC-Fälle bis zur 46. Kalenderwoche
What does this mean for the population?
Educational institutions are also affected, as the Ministry of Education has published precautionary measures to protect children and teachers. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, infected people have often been linked to other federal states, which indicates a far-reaching problem. According to information from the BVL EHEC can primarily be transmitted via contaminated food, especially undercooked meat and raw milk products. Contact with ruminants, for example in petting zoos, also poses risks.
By keeping a close eye on the situation and practicing proper hygiene, citizens can hopefully avoid EHEC infections in the future. We can only hope that the causes will soon be identified and that we can all go through life more carefree again.