"A relief": butcher's shop reopens in Aisne after severe E. coli poisoning

Good news for a business in the Aisne region in the E. coli contamination case. A butcher's shop has been authorized to reopen after 26 cases of severe food poisoning were reported in the Saint-Quentin area. The butcher's owners expressed their satisfaction on Friday, June 27, on France 3 Régions .

"It's a relief, but at the same time, the mystery remains," the management of the supermarket where the butcher's department is located told local media.

"It's difficult to be relieved, to be able to look to the days ahead with more peace of mind, and at the same time, to know that families and children are still in hospital. Especially with the tragedy of little Élise who died ," notes the supermarket's director, Marc Legrand.

A large sign has also been installed in the supermarket, informing customers that the butcher's shop "has been completely cleared of any wrongdoing in the contamination case." The establishment will be able to reopen as soon as stocks are replenished.

On Friday, the Hauts-de-France Regional Health Agency announced in a press release that the butcher's department at the Gauchy Intermarché supermarket on Rue Auguste Delaune "will be able to resume operations after completing the necessary preliminary procedures." Tests were conducted at the store and were found to be "negative" for E. coli bacteria.

However, the operations of five other butcher shops remain suspended. These include: La Direction butcher shop, located on Boulevard Henri Martin; Family butcher shop, located at 3 bis Boulevard Gambetta; El Baraka butcher shop, located at 52 Avenue Robert Schuman; La Fayette butcher shop, located at 100 Rue Raspail; and the butcher's department of the TMS Destock/TMS Market supermarket, located on 4 Rue du 19 Mars 1962.

"The authorities continue to conduct analyses," the ARS said.

In total, 26 cases of severe poisoning have been recorded, including 25 children and one elderly person. Among these cases is a 12-year-old child, Elise, who died. Currently, 11 people remain hospitalized, while others have improved and been able to return home.

On Friday, the prefecture reported a new case, that of a child residing in Île-de-France who had recently stayed in the Saint-Quentin region several times.

"At this stage, investigations and analyses continue to point towards a close epidemiological link between butcher shops identified and closed as a precaution and the first cases," the Health Agency reported.

On June 21, the Saint-Quentin public prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation into the charges of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary injury, endangerment and deception aggravated by endangering human health.

The investigations were entrusted to Oclaesp (Central Office for Combating Environmental and Public Health Attacks), BNEVP (National Brigade for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Investigations) and the Saint-Quentin police station.