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HEALTH: Russia imposed an embargo on European Vegetables

AFP - Russia on Thursday banned the import of vegetables from all countries of the European Union because of the deadly epidemic caused by the bacterium E. coli 0104, said the consumer protection agency.

"The ban on imports of fresh vegetables, which concerns all countries of the European Union takes effect this (Thursday) morning," said agency chief Gennady Onishchenko was quoted by the Interfax news agency.

Vegetables already imported from the EU "will be entered in all Russia," he added.

"I urge people to forget the vegetables imported for the benefit of local products," he said, arguing that health standards were followed by Russia with more professionalism than in the EU.

Epidemic 'shows that European health legislation, which some press Russia to adopt, does not work, "he judged.

An outbreak of diarrhea part of Germany and spreading throughout Europe has worsened Wednesday with a new death brings the balance sheet at 17 dead and hundreds of new cases in Germany.

New cases continue to be reported in the rest of Europe, including the Netherlands, and even the United States. All patients had apparently passed through Germany.

Commission Work lifted Wednesday night the warning issued against the Spanish cucumber suspected cause of the epidemic.

Research has begun with new tools to fight against one of the worst epidemics of its kind ever seen in the world.It is manifested by bleeding in the digestive system, and in severe cases, by kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome, HUS).

The European Union faces a "serious crisis" and everything must be done to identify as quickly as possible the cause of the epidemic, "said European Commissioner for Health John Dalli.

The European Commission has also spoken of "consumption crisis everywhere" in Europe, "a drastic reduction in consumption of fruits and vegetables, not just cucumbers," said one of his spokesmen.