The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority announced Friday it has located the source of a recent surge in E. coli cases in August.

There were 40 cases of E. coli infection in the month of August alone. Four people are currently in hospital, with two in critical condition, and 14 people have had to be hospitalized since June.

The majority of cases this year were associated with the consumption or preparation of ground beef.

The WRHA found that more than half of the E. coli cases in August were traced back to the Dutch Meat Market in St. Boniface.

It distributed ground beef to a number of local restaurants and burger joints — including Mrs. Mike's, VJ's Drive-In and the Dairi Wip Drive-In — in the first two weeks of August. Contaminated meat was also sold to food retail outlets and individual customers.

But Dr. Pierre Plourde, the WRHA's medical officer of health, said he does not blame the Dutch Meat Market for the E. coli outbreak.

"There's nothing that Dutch Meat Market could have done themselves to prevent this from happening," Plourde said Friday.

"We don't know … when [the contaminated meat] came into Dutch Meat Market."

The process of making ground beef is inherently risky because one piece of contaminated meat can contaminate the whole lot, Plourde said. 

Plourde said the health authority named the restaurants not to hurt their business, but in case anyone bought any meat that may have been contaminated.

The restaurants in question have since been inspected and measures were taken to improve safe food handling, but Plourde said ongoing monitoring will continue.

Watch closely

Plourde warned customers of restaurants where they can clearly see food being prepared to observe the staff's hygiene practices, especially when it comes to handwashing and handling of raw meat.

He also warned people to take extra care in handling raw ground beef and cleaning up after cooking.

Members of the public who have questions about E. coli infection can call Health Links at 788-8200.

The August outbreak raised the total number of E. coli infections this summer to 57. In all, there were 65 cases so far this year.

Last year, the WRHA recorded only 13 cases of E. coli infection, and 25 cases in 2004.