E. coli outbreak in Florida linked to raw milk
Health warning issued as source of serious bacteria outbreak revealed
- Public health officials have issued a warning regarding an outbreak of Campylobacter and E. coli linked to raw milk from an unnamed farm in Florida.
- The outbreak has affected 21 individuals, including six children under 10, resulting in seven hospitalisations and two severe complications.
- The Florida Department of Health expressed concerns about sanitation practices at the implicated farm, noting that raw milk is only legally sold for non-human consumption in the state.
- Federal health agencies, including the CDC and FDA, strongly advise against consuming raw milk due to significant health risks from various pathogens, emphasising that pasteurisation eliminates these dangers.
- Despite scientific consensus on the risks, raw milk has gained popularity among some groups, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being a consumer, though his administration has not delivered the regulatory changes raw milk advocates hoped for.