Germany casting doubts over Spanish origin of E.coli outbreak

German authorities investigating the outbreak of a deadly bacterial infection are now reportedly doubting whether Spanish cucumbers were the cause.

Several hundred people have taken ill, mostly in northern Germany.

A woman in Sweden has also died from the same strain of E.coli.

Tests carried out on Spanish-imported cucumbers confirmed the presence of a potentially deadly pathogen, but not the strain which has infected hundreds of people.

Two more cucumbers are still undergoing analysis.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has said there is nothing to suggest that contaminated cucumbers are on the Irish market.

The Agriculture minister for Andalusia, Clara Aguilera, said the source of the contamination has yet to be established.