E coli outbreak: German hospitals struggling to cope

Death toll rises to 21 as number of cases increases to 2,200, with bean sprouts thought to be to blame- Abby D'Arcy Hughes in Berlin, guardian.co.uk, Sunday 5 June 2011.

German hospitals are struggling to cope with the surge in patients caused by the E coli outbreak, as the death toll rose to 22.

The health minister, Daniel Bahr, said hospitals in northern Germany were finding it difficult to provide enough beds and treatment for patients, with the total number of cases increasing to 2,200.

"We're facing a tense situation with patient care," Bahr said, "but we will manage it."

Agriculture officials said that bean sprouts grown in one organic farm between Hamburg and Hanover were the likely cause of the illness.

Hospital authorities said blood supplies were running low and staff were exhausted and working round-the-clock, with the northern cities of Hamburg and Bremen the worst affected.