Deadly E coli bug to hit our shores

TWO senior medical specialists have warned that the mystery E coli bug, which has caused 18 deaths and spread to 11 European countries and the US, will almost certainly turn up in Ireland.

The country already has the highest infection rate in the EU from a similar E coli bacteria, mainly from sewage-infected drinking water, farm animals and unhygienic crèches.

Dr Eleanor McNamara, consultant microbiologist and director of the HSE’s public health laboratory, said it was “probably inevitable” that there would be some cases of the virulent E coli strain in the Republic, given the large number of people who travel between Ireland and Germany.