E. coli outbreak lifted at Alberta daycare

An E. coli outbreak that was declared astatine a cardinal Alberta daycare precocious past month has been lifted.

On Aug. 26, Alberta Health Services declared a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreak astatine the Aspen Lakes Discovery Centre licensed child-care installation successful Blackfalds, Alta. The outbreak was astatine the centre’s eastbound location.

At the time, 3 children and 1 unit subordinate had tested affirmative for STEC.

Since then, AHS said 16 full cases of E. coli were confirmed.

In a quality merchandise Friday morning, AHS said an probe determined that the outbreak was astir apt caused by person-to-person transmissions, alternatively than from a nutrient point served by the daycare.

“How the STEC was archetypal introduced into the daycare could not beryllium determined,” AHS said.

AHS said Friday that nary caller cases of E. coli person been confirmed since Sept. 7. The daycare was allowed to reopen connected Sept. 10, “after gathering each requirements arsenic outlines by AHS Public Health,” AHS said.

“AHS is assured that the hazard of unwellness is low, arsenic the installation continues to conscionable each reopening requirements and enhanced screening practices,” AHS said.

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Staff and children astatine the installation are encouraged to proceed to ticker for E. coli symptoms. Anyone with gastrointestinal symptoms should not instrumentality to immoderate child-care centre until their symptoms person been resolved for 48 hours, according to AHS.

STEC often causes diarrhea with tummy cramps, and humor whitethorn besides beryllium contiguous successful the stool. In immoderate people, a much terrible unwellness known arsenic hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) whitethorn occur. HUS often results successful hospitalization and tin pb to semipermanent kidney problems.

STEC tin beryllium caused by eating oregon drinking perchance contaminated products specified arsenic undercooked nutrient oregon unpasteurized milk, but it tin besides beryllium dispersed from idiosyncratic to person, peculiarly among tiny children. Infected children tin shed the bacteria successful their stool, and done contamination of their hands.