Baby E.coli case closes nursery
A new E.coli alert in south Wales has led to 43 primary school pupils being told to stay home as a precaution.
An 11-month-old child living in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has contracted the O157 strain of the disease, it has emerged.
The child is linked a three-year-old boy in the nursery at St Illtyd's Primary school in Merthyr Tydfil.
Last year 150 people were affected by an outbreak in south Wales and one boy died but officials said there was "no evidence" of a new outbreak.
Meanwhile in Scotland, a fourth toddler is seriously ill in hospitals with a suspected case of E.coli. All four children attend the Careshare nursery at Lauder College in Dunfermline, Fife.
Dr Gwen Lowe, of the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS), said the three-year-old in south Wales had had "heavy diarrhoea" at school.
As a result of this, 43 pupils from the roman catholic primary school's reception and nursery classes were being told to stay at home because of possible contact with the youngster.
She said children would be allowed to return to class after submitting two negative samples for E.coli - submitted 48 hours apart.
She added that the affected boy had not consumed school meals.
Schools meals has been put forward as a cause of an E.coli outbreak last year in which more than 150 people, mostly schoolchildren fell ill and a five-year-old boy died.
Dr Lowe added that the source of the single newly confirmed case in RCT, the 11-month-old, was being investigated and the parents of the two children had been interviewed.
She said parents at the school had also been provided with sampling kits.
"A letter has been sent home with each of the children to explain the action being taken," she added.
"Staff from the NPHS and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council were at the school on Wednesday afternoon meeting with parents, handing out sample pots and answering questions.
"Parents with children who are ill with sickness and diarrhoea should not send them to school until they have been well for two full days. If a parent is concerned about the health of their child they should contact their GP."
The school, in Dowlais, has 147 pupils, with 43 in the nursery and reception classes.
The 2005 E.coli outbreak was initially reported in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil, but later spread to Bridgend and Caerphilly affecting children at 42 schools.
The outbreak was first reported on 10 September before being declared over on 20 December.
A current outbreak in Dunfermline, Fife, has left four toddlers ill in hospital with suspected cases of E.coli O157.
Advice is available from NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or from the NPHS and Merthyr County Borough Council websites.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4760197.stm
A new E.coli alert in south Wales has led to 43 primary school pupils being told to stay home as a precaution.
An 11-month-old child living in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has contracted the O157 strain of the disease, it has emerged.
The child is linked a three-year-old boy in the nursery at St Illtyd's Primary school in Merthyr Tydfil.
Last year 150 people were affected by an outbreak in south Wales and one boy died but officials said there was "no evidence" of a new outbreak.
Meanwhile in Scotland, a fourth toddler is seriously ill in hospitals with a suspected case of E.coli. All four children attend the Careshare nursery at Lauder College in Dunfermline, Fife.
Dr Gwen Lowe, of the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS), said the three-year-old in south Wales had had "heavy diarrhoea" at school.
As a result of this, 43 pupils from the roman catholic primary school's reception and nursery classes were being told to stay at home because of possible contact with the youngster.
She said children would be allowed to return to class after submitting two negative samples for E.coli - submitted 48 hours apart.
She added that the affected boy had not consumed school meals.
Schools meals has been put forward as a cause of an E.coli outbreak last year in which more than 150 people, mostly schoolchildren fell ill and a five-year-old boy died.
Dr Lowe added that the source of the single newly confirmed case in RCT, the 11-month-old, was being investigated and the parents of the two children had been interviewed.
She said parents at the school had also been provided with sampling kits.
"A letter has been sent home with each of the children to explain the action being taken," she added.
"Staff from the NPHS and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council were at the school on Wednesday afternoon meeting with parents, handing out sample pots and answering questions.
"Parents with children who are ill with sickness and diarrhoea should not send them to school until they have been well for two full days. If a parent is concerned about the health of their child they should contact their GP."
The school, in Dowlais, has 147 pupils, with 43 in the nursery and reception classes.
The 2005 E.coli outbreak was initially reported in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil, but later spread to Bridgend and Caerphilly affecting children at 42 schools.
The outbreak was first reported on 10 September before being declared over on 20 December.
A current outbreak in Dunfermline, Fife, has left four toddlers ill in hospital with suspected cases of E.coli O157.
Advice is available from NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or from the NPHS and Merthyr County Borough Council websites.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4760197.stm