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Briefly: October 5, 2012

Beef recall Consumers across the country are advised to check meat products in their homes in the wake of the biggest beef recall in Canadian history.

Beef recall

Consumers across the country are advised to check meat products in their homes in the wake of the biggest beef recall in Canadian history.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began issuing recalls for beef products packed at the XL Foods plant in Brooks, Alberta, on September 16. The recall came 12 days after officials say they were alerted to a positive E. coli test in beef shipped from the facility.

Since then, several more alerts have been issued, recalling more than 1,500 XL products across Canada and in the United States. The recall includes beef products sold at Safeway, Save-On-Foods and Walmart.

The agency temporarily shut down the plant last Friday.

The affected beef products were manufactured by XL on August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5, according to CFIA. Some of the best before dates stretch into mid-October. The agency has published a complete list of affected products on its website, www.inspection.gc.ca, showing the affected retailers, brands and UPCs. It advises Canadians to check any beef products in their homes against that list. Consumers who are unsure about a product should either verify its source with the retailer or throw it away, the agency says on its website.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), there are currently no cases of E. coli O157:H7 in BC that are part of the recall of XL brand products.

E. coli infection can cause mild to severe symptoms including diarrhea and stomach cramps, which usually start three or four days after exposure to the bacteria and last five to 10 days, according to BCCDC. In rare cases, it can be life threatening. Infection is usually due to eating raw or undercooked ground beef or meat juices. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should drink lots of clear fluids and see a doctor.


Nurses’ agreement

BC nurses are voting on a new agreement that includes a three per cent wage hike and slightly longer hours, which will allow the hiring of more staff.

The BC Nurses’ Union released details on Tuesday, October 2, of a two-year agreement reached with the provincial government last week. The wage hike will take effect April 1 and the deal will add 2,125 more full-time equivalencies to the health system by 2016.

The agreement has been endorsed by about 300 union executives and stewards from around the province. It now goes to 32,000 union members for a ratification vote on October 18.

“This is a very good deal in tough economic times,” said Debra McPherson, union president, in a statement. “We will have clear, enforceable language that recognizes the clinical judgment of nurses to know what’s best for patients.”

McPherson said the extra hiring will be achieved by increasing nurses’ work hours from 36 hours a week to 37.5 hours a week effective April 1. The deal includes provisions that will require extra nurses to be called in when needed, such as when hospital wards exceed their capacity.