Cucumbers infected with a strain of deadly E. coli has killed 14 people and made over 300 people seriously ill in northern Germany, according to The Guardian.

This outbreak has spread to other northern European countries like Sweden, Britain, Denmark, and the Netherlands and is expected to get worse in the coming weeks.

The cucumbers, consumed in Germany, were imported from Spain. However, it’s unclear if the contamination happened in Spain, Germany, or during the transport route, reported The Guardian.

Germany, Austria, and Finland have issued warnings or restrictions on Spanish cucumber.

Spain, the largest cucumber producer in Europe, is indignant about the warnings because the source of contamination hasn’t been established.

A Spainish government official said “no EU country can ban a product on its territory. That’s up to the European Commission. Germany, Austria and Finland’s decisions are completely illegal,” reported euronews.

Meanwhile, Russia has banned all vegetable imports from Germany and Spain. It warned that the ban could extend to the rest of Europe.

The strain of dead E. coli found in the cucumbers is called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which could affect the blood, kidneys, and nervous system, according to The Guardian.

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