CBC News reports that Canadian health officials say seven people in Nova Scotia have been infected with E. coli, likely E. coli O157:H7. Five people have been treated in hospital and released, while two people remain hospitalized. One is suffering from kidney failure. The people who have fallen ill range from their late teens to their 80s.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief public health officer, said all seven people were infected between Dec. 23 and Dec. 26 — three in Halifax, two in Antigonish, one in Truro and one in Stellarton.
Five to six cases of E. coli O157:H7 have also been reported in New Brunswick, leading health officials to believe the common denominator is likely a food item that is sold in both provinces.
According to the Herald News, because there are no known new cases, officials are hoping that whatever caused the illness was a food with a short shelf life, such as a type of fruit or vegetable.