CALGARY- A local food supplier may be to blame for an E. coli outbreak that has sent 20 people to hospital.
So far 130 cases have been reported across Alberta, and health officials are trying to determine the cause.
Tests have revealed that this particular strain isn’t found outside the Alberta environment, meaning whatever is making people sick was produced or grown in the province.
WATCH: AHS admits it might never know the sources of the outbreak. Kendra Slugoski explains. Plus, did you know that meat and vegetables aren’t the only ways of getting infected?
“It does seem to be isolated to the Alberta environment,” says Dr. Chris Sikora, medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services. “This particular strain is not common, and seems to be isolated to the Alberta context.”
He adds that investigators may never determine the source. E. coli has a three to seven day incubation period, meaning people could be infected for days before experiencing any symptoms.
Alberta E. coli cases:
- North Zone: 8
- Edmonton Zone: 50
- Central Zone: 2
- Calgary Zone: 63
- South Zone: 7
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