Daycare to reopen after tragic child E. coli death
The Vancouver, Washington, home associated with a daycare E. coli outbreak that tragically killed a 4-year-old boy and sent three other children to the hospital could reopen Monday or sooner if testing indicates the pathogen is absent.
That’s what Clark County Public Health said in a news release.
The Fletch Family Daycare will “remain closed until those working in the day care who have tested positive for E. coli or displayed symptoms have two negative E. coli tests separated by 24 hours,” the news release said. “Clark County Public Health may allow the day care to reopen next Monday or sooner, pending the outcome of test results.”
The same testing protocol applies to children of the daycare before they are allowed to return or attend any other daycare center. Children are most likely to suffer a life-threatening complication of E. coli O157:H7 infection known as hemolytic uremic poisoning.
The first E. coli infection at the daycare was diagnosed March 19, but the home stayed open until it was shut down April 2. The child who died was the fourth to be diagnosed with an infection. Besides sickening the four children, seven other people associated with the daycare tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 even though they were asymptomatic, officials have said.
Larry Fletch, who owns the daycare with his wife, Dianne, sent an email to local media that said the tragedy was complicated by uncertainty because some illnesses were initially thought to be norovirus .
Families affected by the outbreak can call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) for answers to legal questions and a free case consultation. If we agree to take your case, you owe us nothing until you win. You may also contact our firm via the Internet; click here.
Toddler Who Died of E. coli Was Fourth to Get Sick
The toddler who died in a Vancouver, Washington, daycare E. coli outbreak was the last of four children to fall ill with an infection before the in-home daycare center was closed by public health officials.
The deceased child became ill almost two weeks after the first case was diagnosed — a period in which health officials allowed the daycare to stay open.
The delayed closing was documented by the Associated Press, which quoted Clark County Health Officer Dr. Alan Melnick as saying there was concern that other parents who used the facility could take their children to different day cares and risk exposing others.
The outbreak timeline certainly raises questions about the judgment call because in the end, the Fletch family daycare center was closed on April 2. Under the closure, public health officials are monitoring the children with repetitive E. coli testing. They won’t be allowed to go back to any daycare center until they are cleared as safe.
National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is accepting cases from this outbreak and answering any legal questions parents might have. An E. coli lawyer at the firm can be reached Toll Free at 1-888-377-8900 or by completing the contact form on the side of this Web page.
Pritzker Olsen is a leader in representing victims of foodborne illness and is actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks and strengthen the safety of the U.S. food supply.
Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 normally start with the consumption of contaminated ground beef, other food or water, but person-to-person transmission can fuel an outbreak. Of all outbreak settings, daycare centers are the most problematic for person-to-person spreading, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.
When daycare E. coli outbreaks occur, they should be especially alarming because young children are the most susceptible of any age group to develop a life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, HUS. HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children worldwide and the leading cause of E. coli deaths.
Our experience with HUS victims is that they can suffer far more than renal failure. Powerful toxins from the E. coli can wreak havoc all over, including the body’s central nervous system, causing stroke, brain injury, coma, convulsions and paralysis.
New Hampshire E. coli Cases and One Death Linked to Fairbank Farms Hamburger
Three E. coli O157:H7 cases and one E. coli death in New Hampshire have been linked to a recall of 545,699 pounds of Fairbank Farms ground beef products. The CDC has a cluster of 26 E. coli cases in 11 states, including New Hampshire, have been associated with the recalled Fairbank Farms hamburger that was sold at Shaws, Price Chopper, Trader Joe’s, Wild Harvest, Lancaster, BJ’s, Giant and Ford Brothers. Some of the Fairbank Farms ground beef products were repackaged or relabeled by the retailers.
“Our law firm is representing a 3-year-old boy that developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) from an E. coli infection. He fought for his life for weeks in the hospital. Most people do not realize how dangerous E. coli poisoning is and that severe cases can result in life-long illness or death,” stated Attorney Fred Pritzker.
“Simply requiring more E. coli testing at slaughterhouses and at processing plants before and after grinding would prevent many E. coli outbreaks linked to ground beef, but federal and state regulators are unwilling to do this. Our law firm continues to advocate for these changes, and we ask the public to write their legislators and demand more testing. Eating a hamburger should not be a high-risk activity.”
State health officials are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the New Hampshire Grocers Association and the CDC on this investigation, according to a press release from the New Hampshire DHHS:
“It’s possible we may see more cases in the coming days.”
“E. coli is a bacteria that produces a toxin that is potentially deadly to people,” said Dr. Jose Montero, Director of Public Health at DHHS, “especially young children and seniors. People should prepare all meat products safely and cook to a proper temperature to prevent illness. For this recall people should check their freezers for any affected products and throw them away.”
NH Resident Dies in Ground Beef E coli Outbreak
The New England ground beef E. coli outbreak has claimed a life in New Hampshire, where at least two other residents have suffered E. coli O157:H7 infections from contaminated ground beef produced by Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York.1
The Fairbank Farms ground beef outbreak has sickened people in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire. And the impact could be wider. The company’s Halloween recall of 545,699 pounds of potentially adulterated hamburger meat listed eight states where the beef was distributed: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Maryland and Connecticut.
Retailers that carried the ground beef — all sold under various store labels marked with USDA establishment number EST 492 — were Trader Joe’s, Shaws Supermarkets, ACME, Price Chopper, Giant Food Stores, BJ’s Wholesale Club/Burris and Ford Brothers. Click here and scroll down for the company’s most recent recall list.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is involved in the investigation of the outbreak, but so far the agency hasn’t commented on how many illnesses or deaths may have been caused by it. The E. coli ground beef was produced between September 14 and 16 and most sell-by dates were in the range of September 19-28. Given the late date of the recall, any unused product would be in residential freezers, where the bacteria does not die.
Anyone with symptoms of food poisoning, including bloody diarrhea, should see a physician immediately. To receive legal information about this outbreak, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). An E. coli attorney at our firm will listen to your information and provide you with a free case consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit. If you prefer online communication, please complete our contact and information form.
Pritzker Olsen is involved on behalf of victims in practically every major E. Coli O157:H7 outbreak in the United States. As such, we have collected tens of milions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. Rhode Island E. coli attorney David Szerlag is a member of our staff and lawyers Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen are known nationally for their expertise in food poisoning. This year, both Pritzker and Olsen taught E. coli prevention seminars at national food industry conventions. Helping to prevent foodborne illness is an important part of our the mission.
1Boston Globe, Nov. 1, 2009
