By With the recent E. coli outbreak causing chaos in Germany’s medical facilities, Brits may be wondering how to avoid picking up similar bugs.
According to HUSH (haemolytic uraemic syndrome help), there are a number of things people can do to protect themselves against the various strains of E. coli.
The health charity explained that the current outbreak is currently considered an “unknown quantity”, which “seems to be escalating”.
HUSH coordinator Ishbel MacKinnon said: “Routinely the advice we give against the O157 strain, which has been more prevalent in this country, is to make sure that your drinking water is safe. If it’s not mains water, boil it.”
She added that any food that can be should be thoroughly washed and the skin peeled off where possible.
“For food that’s been cooked, make sure it’s well cooked, and obviously [follow] the general guidelines about keeping raw meat separate from cooked meat,” the expert advised.
Personal hygiene is also important, with hands needing to be washed regularly with soap and hot water.
The best way to protect yourself is to grow your own fruit and vegetables, Ms MacKinnon said.
