Secret Service is seeking input from the Commission regarding their controversial plans.

In the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, an outbreak of Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infections has been reported, affecting ten children and adolescents, and two adults. This outbreak, which is currently under investigation, has raised concerns due to the unusual number of cases and the potential severity of the illness.

EHEC produces Shiga toxins, which can cause severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a condition that can lead to kidney failure. Normally, one or two cases of EHEC with HUS are registered in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern each year. However, the current number of cases in a short period is a cause for concern for authorities.

The sources or causes of EHEC infections in the affected federal states, including the current cases in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, are not yet identified. Potential origins include contaminated food such as raw or undercooked meat, raw milk products, vegetables, fruits, contact with animals, or exposure to contaminated water. Investigations are ongoing, and no definitive link has been established.

Children are particularly at risk due to their underdeveloped immune system and organs. Four children being treated for EHEC infections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are in intensive care units, and three of them are connected to a dialysis machine. Five of the affected individuals in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have HUS.

The Vorpommern-Rügen district has been particularly affected, with a total of seven people affected by the EHEC outbreak, five of whom are hospitalized. In Vorpommern-Greifswald, five cases of EHEC infections have been reported, including four children aged 1 to 5 years and one adult.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern alone recorded more than 130 cases of EHEC infections in 2024, and 80 in the previous year. Nationwide, around 3,660 EHEC cases have been recorded this year as of 27 August 2025.

EHEC is mainly transmitted through contaminated food. In 2011, there was a significant EHEC outbreak in Germany, with around 3,800 cases and more than 50 deaths, with contaminated sprouts from Egypt-imported fenugreek seeds suspected as the cause.

It is important to note that EHEC can also be transmitted directly from person to person. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) states that it takes an average of three to four days from consuming a contaminated food to the onset of EHEC symptoms.

EHEC stands for enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli and is a pathogenic strain of bacteria that occurs in the gut. The ongoing investigation aims to identify the sources of the current outbreak and to take necessary measures to prevent further infections.

Secret Service is seeking input from the Commission regarding their controversial plans.