A judicial inquiry has been opened alongside a health investigation, into the severe food poisoning cases in northern France since 12 June. This comes after the death of a 12-year-old girl and reports of at least 19 children who fell ill.
The prosecutor's office in Saint-Quentin announced on Monday that a preliminary judicial inquiry for involuntary homicide had been opened last week, alongside a health investigation.
"This preliminary investigation was opened against unknown persons on charges of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary injury, endangering the lives of others and deception regarding goods presenting a danger to human life," according to a press release from the public prosecutor's office.
Authorities in the Aisne department announced that the number of victims had risen to 19 after another child had been admitted to hospital with symptoms of food poisoning.
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Eight of these young patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication characterised in particular by acute renal failure, one of whom, a 12-year-old girl, died on 16 June.
Currently, six children who contracted HUS are still receiving dialysis, while ten other children have been able to leave the hospital and return home, while receiving "continuous medical monitoring," the prefecture said in a statement.
Samples under scrutiny
French Health Minister Yannick Neuder confirmed on Sunday during a press briefing in Saint-Quentin that the children had been affected by a contamination with the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria.
"At this stage, the most likely cause of contamination is meat consumption," the Aisne prefecture recalled on Monday, while stressing that "school catering is not targeted in any of the cases identified."
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Four butcher shops in Saint-Quentin, as well as the meat departments of two supermarkets in the area, have been closed as a precaution in recent days, and samples taken from these stores are currently being analysed.
The results of these analyses are expected "by the end of the week," and "food investigations into the origin of the contamination carried out over the last two days have not revealed any new businesses," according to the prefecture.
HUS affects between 100 and 165 children in France each year, according to the country's public health agency.
(with AFP)
