E. coli outbreak in B.C. cheese makes five people sick, prompts warning

VANCOUVER — An E. coli outbreak has made five people in British Columbia sick and the provincial centre for disease control is warning consumers to throw away or return Little Qualicum Cheeseworks Qualicum Spice cheese.

The unpasteurized cheese is sold in grocery stores, farmers’ markets, wineries and restaurants around the province.

The BC Centre for Disease Control says samples of the Qualicum Spice cheese were tested after the five illnesses were recorded between August and October and E. coli was confirmed.

“We know the product is distributed likely throughout B.C. and it’s a relatively popular product,” says Dr. Marsha Taylor with the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Symptoms of E. coli can vary, but Taylor says the most common symptoms include vomiting, diharrea and sometimes fever.

“People should be looking for symptoms like that kind of in the next 10 days if they have consumed it,” she adds.

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks has voluntarily recalled the cheese and no other products from the company have been recalled at this time.

The centre says some people may have no symptoms while others may become so sick that they need to be hospitalized.

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