Denmark probes salmonella outbreak sickening 4,000

2008-07-04 09:28:14 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

 BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Danish health officials are conducting urgent checks to hunt for the source of a salmonella outbreak that may have sickened as many as 4,000 people, according to media reports Thursday.

    Kare Moelbak of the Ministry of Health said 330 cases have been confirmed. Denmark's Center for Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases said the true number of cases is likely around 4,000. No deaths have been reported.

    Moelbak said investigators suspect a Danish food product, since no outbreaks have not been reported among neighbouring countries.

    "Food control units are out to visit patients and see what they have in their refrigerators. We have even had access to electronic files to get an overview of what people have bought using their credit cards," he said.

    Common symptoms of salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Salmonella is seldom fatal among healthy adults although more serious consequences are possible, especially in children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

(Agencies)

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