WARSAW, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A possible second E. coli infection patient has been hospitalized in Szczecin, northwestern Poland, Health Minister Ewa Kopacz said Thursday.

The man, who recently returned to Poland from Germany, has been diagnosed with exudative diarrhea and is currently being tested for E. coli bacteria.

Poland's first E. coli case, a 29-year-old woman permanently residing in Germany and diagnosed with the bacteria over a week ago, is currently in the same hospital.

Kopacz said sanitary teams were running E. coli checks countrywide, especially on marketplaces and in warehouses.

The E. coli epidemic originated in Germany, where it has taken 17 lives. One death has so far occurred in Sweden, bringing the total death toll to 18.