Cheese tainted with E. coli may be to blame for the death of a British Columbian in August, according to the province’s disease control agency.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control issued a public warning Tuesday about Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm after four people in B.C. reportedly became sick from eating the company’s products.
Two of those cases required hospitalization: one person is still recovering, while the other died in August, according to the BCCDC and Interior Health.
The victim’s cause of death is still under investigation, but they were initially hospitalized with E. coli O157, the same outbreak strain found in Gort’s cheese products. It is unknown whether the E. coli caused their death.
“What I’m still talking to doctors about is how much that infection might have contributed to that case’s death,” said Interior Health’s Dr. Rob Parker.
Parker said E. coli bacteria likely got into the cheese and the aging process didn’t take care of it.
“The vast majority of the cheeses they produce are from unpasteurized milk,” he said.
Four other reported cases in B.C. and seven in Alberta are also under investigation.
People affected include men, women, children, adults and the elderly, according to the BCCDC.
The illnesses began in July but most of the cases were discovered in late August to early September, with infected people reporting symptoms like severe diarrhea or nausea, the agency said.
Those who’ve eaten Gort’s products in the last 10 days and are experiencing symptoms are urged to see a doctor.
Gort’s has agreed to halt shipments of its cheese products and stop selling directly to the public at its farm.
It is believed the company’s products are distributed to some restaurants and markets throughout B.C., though Parker did not have a list of them.
Gary Wikkerink, a herd manager with the company, said it was only a small batch of cheese affected and he’s unsure how it became tainted with E. coli.
He apologized to the public for the outbreak and said Gort’s stopped selling all cheese products last Saturday, adding the company was aware a warning would be issued Tuesday.
Wikkerink confirmed the company promotes raw milk cheese, which is not pasteurized. The product must stay on the shelf for two months to be considered legal for sale, he said.
Disease control and Interior Health are working with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to investigate the outbreak.
A public recall was issued by Health Canada Tuesday evening.
E. coli is the name for a range of bacteria that infect the digestive tract of animals. While some can cause severe illness and death, most are harmless.
Symptoms usually start two to 10 days after exposure and last between 5-10 days.
