German restaurant, festival probed over E.coli

According to a local German newspaper, many people became ill after eating at the Kartoffel-Keller (Potato Cellar). The owner was reported as saying “it was like a blow to the head” when he heard the news.

“We had everyone here tested and everything was disinfected. I paid for the tests myself because safety is important for our guests and employees.”

Together with the restaurant, the Hamburg Port Festival which took place at the beginning of May is also being investigated. Reportedly, more than one million people attended the festival.

The cases of E.coli began to rise following the end of the festival on May 9.

Across Europe, some 19 people have already died from the illness caused by the E.coli and made more than 2,000 people ill in 12 countries. Reportedly, all of these people had travelled to northern Germany.