Germany’s Health Minister has said that there is reason to be cautiously optimistic that an outbreak of a deadly new strain of E.coli has peaked.

The outbreak has so far left 24 dead, infected 2,400 and left hundreds with a complication that attack the kidneys.

Earlier EU had proposed 150m euros for compensation to farmers. But agriculture ministers demanded more amount as compensation estimated to 417m euros a week.

The outbreak was wrongly blamed on Spanish cucumbers last week by the health authorities in Northern Germany, the centre of the outbreak. Investigators are still trying to find the new strain of E.coli. New cases are still being reported every day, including 94 in Germany on Tuesday.

EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner John Dalli, warned Germany against issuing any more premature conclusions- and inaccurate- about the source of contaminated food. He also stated that the information given to the public should be scientifically sound and full proof one.

In two lab tests, the E.coli result was positive, which were twice confirmed by the government and the EU laboratory and so this was not a process of consideration but rather crucial. Hamburg’s state senator for health, Cornelia Pruefer-Storcks said that all test results so far on the bean sprout which were thought to be the source is inconclusive. But she nevertheless said that clinic’s dealing with the outbreak has told “us that the situation is improving”.

Germany’s national institution responsible for disease control and prevention, the Robert Koch Institute said that the number of new cases has declined but it’s continuance is not certain. Meanwhile Dr.Guenael Rodier, Director of communicable diseases also claimed that if the origin of the infection is not identified soon then it might never be found.

Report by Alka