The Belgian authorities say that no problems have yet been reported with the EHEC bacteria here. In Germany an outbreak of the EHEC bacteria that may be linked to Spanish cucumbers has left over ten people dead with some 1,200 people ill.

 
EHEC bacteria that are related to E.coli cause intestinal problems. They may lead to vomiting in people who become infected as well as diarrhoea. In serious cases kidney failure occurs and this can be fatal.

Also in the Czech Republic cucumbers contaminated with EHEC have been found. The contaminated cucumbers are organic produce that arrived in the Czech Republic in recent days. A sales ban has been introduced in the Czech Republic and in Austria. France too has had some cucumbers taken off shop shelves.
So far problems with the bacteria have been reported in ten European countries. Lieve Busschots of Belgium's Federal Food Safety Institute says that it should not be surprising that no problems have been reported here:
"That is quite possible that we have not been affected. Until now we have not received any reports about contaminated vegetables that have been imported in Belgium."