WHO says E. coli strain responsible for European outbreak is new strain never detected before

[Carsten Wiethoff]

Carsten - with respect, none of that is anywhere near sufficient evidence to declare an entire country's cucumbers suspect nor point the finger at a specific farm.

All those evidential trails are equally, if not more, consistent with the infection having occurred after the vegetables have left the farms, at a later stage in the food chain.

Indeed, that evidence strongly suggests poor hygiene in the restaurant, and that bacteria may be festering there.

Yes, this is certainly the biggest legitimate criticism of the German crisis management. To announce names of countries and producers with indications, but without proof, is like declaring a suspect guilty without any trial at all.
In this case it seems to be unexpectedly difficult to find proof and it may be that it will never be found. There is of course the legitimate demand of the public to be informed of possible risks and ways to avoid them and on the other hand the legitimate interests of vegetable producers and many others to remain innocent until proven guilty and not carry a financial and moral penalty without having done anything wrong.
BTW I am sure that all the restaurants and other places where people possibly got infected have been tested thoroughly already and if anything had been found it would have been reported.
In a way I find Putin's import ban a logical reaction, even if it can be argued that it declares all European vegetables guilty without even the slightest proof, and in this case it is likely more an action of a man wanting to appear strong and in control than a responsible reaction for the health of the people in Russia.
Currently I classify this as a strongly local problem with only minimal chances of a people-to-people infection, so for myself I do not take any special action. But this is everybody's personal choice, I heard from people trying to avoid all non-cooked food, even bananas, and certainly a lot of people reduce fresh vegetable intake.

When you think in the line of "strategy of tension" this implies that there are forces that benefit from a general fear of poisonous food and dangerous infectious diseases, I don't think that this outbreak is different in this way from others like bird flu, swine flu, mad cow disease and many other recent food/health scandals/outbrakes. I do not say that these forces do not exist, but currently I do not have a clear picture, what, besides more control, could be the point. But maybe this is the point.
How should one resist a strategy of tension? Maybe by not being hysterical and waiting for proof, one way or the other.