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Eighth Japanese dead from food poisoning
August 9, 1996
Web posted at: 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT)From Tokyo Bureau Chief John Lewis
TOKYO (CNN) -- A baby girl died Friday in Tokyo of an E. coli bacterial infection, bringing the death toll from the current E. coli 0-157 bacteria epidemic to eight since it first appeared four weeks ago.
The bacteria has infected over 9,000 people in Japan, more than 5,000 of them schoolchildren. It's Japan's worst case of food poisoning since salmonella bacteria sickened more than 10,000 in 1988.
Another death in May was also attributed to E. coli infection, but is not believed to be related to the current epidemic.
The epidemic began in mid-July, when over 1,000 students in the suburbs of Osaka, Japan, suddenly fell ill from the bacteria. The toll continued to rise at a shocking pace -- at the height of the epidemic, more than 1,000 new cases were reported each day. The bacteria seems to be near the end of its course, as new cases have slowed down to less than 10 daily.
However, officials have had no luck in pinpointing the origin of the bacteria. On Tuesday, the 0-157 E. coli bacteria was declared an infectious disease, giving the government greater powers in trying to contain the disease.
On Wednesday, government officials said they thought they had found the culprit, sort of: "kaiware," or white radish sprouts, originating from a farm near Osaka.
But on Friday, the government began backtracking. "We cannot conclude it was the source of the food poisoning disease. But we cannot rule out that possibility," said Naoto Kan, Japan's health minister.
One thing was certain. By merely suggesting the Osaka sprouts as the source, the government tainted the entire crop and touched off a storm of public protest.
"...they needed to put the blame on something in order to allay public fears."
-- Mamoru Naeki of the Kaiware Growers' Association
Sprout growers, saying the farm in question had previously been found clear of the bacteria by government inspectors, accused the government of looking for a scapegoat. "The government failed to nail down the source. So, they needed to put the blame on something in order to allay public fears," said Mamoru Naeki of the Kaiware Growers' Association.
Fearful shopkeepers pulled the radish sprouts off their shelves, prompting officials to qualify their earlier statements even more. Health Minister Naoto Kan, trying to head off further panic, said the sprouts on the market were safe.
Consumers may not be panicking, but they certainly are voicing their displeasure. "They had no business singling sprouts out. Now look at all the trouble they're causing farmers," said one. Another accused the government of a "rush to judgment."
There is also a lot of confusion. The first government warnings concerning O-157 targeted meat, not vegetables. E. coli can be spread by a number of vehicles, including undercooked meats and vegetables, through water or through dairy product consumption. "I'm so nervous about buying any food right now," a frustrated shopper said.
With the government flip-flops this week, many people remain nervous. The one thing most do believe, however, is that they and the government, despite all the official announcements, still don't know the source of the deadly bacteria.
Related stories:
- Radishes suspected in Japanese food poisoning epidemic - August 7, 1996
- Japan declares food poisoning outbreak an epidemic - August 6, 1996
- Japan declares E. coli outbreak an epidemic - August 1, 1996
- Japan tries antibiotics in baffling E. coli outbreak - July 29, 1996
- Chronology of food poisoning epidemic in Japan- July 25, 1996
Related sites:
- International Food Information Council - Answering your questions on E. coli
- World Health Organization: emerging foodborne diseases
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