Seven children in the Nord Pas-de-Calais region of France are currently in the hospital being treated for an E. coli infection. Health officials are linking this outbreak to frozen hamburger patties made by the company Lidl as four of the children consumed these patties before becoming ill. These children range from 18 months to 8 years of age and are all being treated for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a kind of kidney failure related to E. coli. Although it has been confirmed that this E. coli strain is not related to the same one that has killed 38 people in Germany, one in Sweden and affected over 3,000, people in France are still very concerned. It appears that the “Steak Country” boxes of meat have been expired since May 12, which maybe have led to the outbreak. French health authorities have recalled the hamburger meat in hopes to prevent more people from becoming sick.
