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E. coli outbreak closes Hellingly nursery
A NURSERY has been temporarily shut down and deep cleaned after a toddler was found to have contracted a strain of the E. coli infection.
Health bosses said the Bunny Run nursery, in The Drive, Hellingly, was closed 'as a precautionary measure' and all children and staff were being tested for the infection.
Five other suspected cases of E. coli 0157 - three in nursery-age children and two in adults - are being investigated by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Wealden District Council's environmental health team.
The HPA said the possible source of the infection was yet to be established but a spokesperson said there were 'no wider area implications'.
As of yesterday (Tuesday July 13), one case had been confirmed while the other five, closely linked, were 'presumptive cases' but had not been confirmed by a laboratory.
The Gazette understands all the nursery children and staff will have to be tested for the infection before they can return. The HPA said this was routine when investigating this strain of the infection.
A spokesperson said, "If samples are negative, children and staff can return back to the nursery provided they have no symptoms.
"The nursery staff are co-operating fully with health officials and the premises have been thoroughly deep cleaned."
The HPA said the E. coli O157 bacteria usually cause diarrhoea, which settles within seven days without treatment.
However, in about five per cent of cases, serious kidney and blood complications can occur.
Letters informing parents about E. coli O157 have been sent out in the area and to local GPs, alerting them to the diagnosis and asking they report any diarrhoea symptoms.
Dr Angela Iversen, director of the Surrey and Sussex Health Protection Unit said, "We are working closely with colleagues in Wealden's environmental health department to identify possible sources of infection which include foreign travel, contact with people who have the illness, eating contaminated food such as contaminated meat or contact with infected animals.
"It is an infection that can be passed easily from person to person and young children are especially vulnerable to it and to complications which can arise from it.
"We want to stress the importance of good hand hygiene in families where there is any diarrhoea illness. Adults should ensure they supervise children's handwashing – especially before eating and when visiting parkland or countryside picnic areas where there is a possibility that areas may have been contaminated with animal faeces."
The owners of the privately-run nursery, based in Eridge, near Crowborough, refused to comment.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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