E. coli Infections Grow

Europe's E. coli outbreak continues to worsen as more people contracted the unusually lethal strain in Germany and elsewhere. Germany now reports 1,733 people infected with the bacteria, with 520 of them suffering from severe complications that can lead to kidney failure. So far, 18 people have died, making the outbreak the deadliest in modern history. As investigators fail to locate the source of the contamination, authorities are warning against eating raw lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, causing heaps of vegetables to sit rotting and uneaten. The Spanish, Portuguese, and German governments are asking the European Union to aid farmers affected by the outbreak. TV stations in Spain are launching pro-cucumber programs in an effort to rehabilitate the vegetable's image after Germany incorrectly accused it of being the source of infection. Meanwhile, Russia is standing by its pan-EU ban on fruits and vegetables until the source is located.