Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Assuages E.Coli Fears

Bulgarian Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov (center), says the spread of the E. Coli bacteria has created a crisis, unprecedented for the EU's farming sector. Photo by BGNES

The man, who died in the hospital in Bulgaria's southern city of Haskovo, had not been infected with the deadly strain of the E. Coli bacteria.

The information was reported Friday by Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, who said in an interview for the Bulgarian National Television, BNT that according to Health Minister, Stefan Konstantinov, currently there are no Bulgarians infected with the E. Coli bacteria.

Naydenov, however, admitted the increased number of those infected and of the casualties is stirring panic detrimental to produce growers.

"This is an unprecedented crisis in the European Union, all the way back to its creation, which could lead to the liquidation on an entire farming sector," the Minister said.

It was reported Thursday that the Regional Health Inspectorate in Haskovo is testing the cause of death of a 66-year old man, who died in a local hospital, on suspicions of an E. Coli infection.