The number of confirmed cases of severe intestinal infection caused by a deadly E. coli outbreak has risen to 17 in Denmark

The number of confirmed cases of severe intestinal infection caused by a deadly E. coli outbreak has risen to 17 in Denmark, authorities said Thursday.

Nearly all the confirmed cases, including nine women and eight men, had recently traveled to Germany, where the outbreak started more than a week ago, according to the National Serum Institute (NSI).

Children are normally the most vulnerable to the infection. But Kaare Moelbak, an expert in epidemiology at the NSI, told Xinhua the outbreak is "very unusual" in that 88 percent of those infected are above the age of 20 years.

Food authorities here declared Danish cucumbers safe Tuesday following laboratory tests.

Germany is struggling to find the exact source of contamination. The outbreak has killed 18 people and sickened more than 1,500 others across Europe, including 470 who have developed a rare kidney failure complication, according to the latest reports.

Researchers have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the illness, which has hit at least nine European countries, and prompted Russia on Thursday to extend a ban on vegetables to the entire European Union.

German officials have warned people not to eat lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. To avoid foodborne illnesses, WHO recommends people wash their hands before eating or cooking food, separating raw and cooked meat from other foods, thoroughly cooking food, and washing fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw. Experts also recommend peeling raw fruits and vegetables if possible.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that the E. coli bacteria responsible for the outbreak is a new strain that has never been seen before.

Preliminary genetic sequencing suggests the strain is a mutant form of two different E. coli bacteria, with aggressive genes that could explain why the Europe-wide outbreak appears to be so massive and dangerous, the agency said.

The outbreak is already considered the third-largest involving E. coli in recent world history, and it may be the deadliest. Twelve people died in a 1996 Japanese outbreak that reportedly sickened more than 9,000, and seven died in a 2000 Canadian outbreak.

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