Two more probable E. coli cases have been linked to the San Diego County Fair, bringing the total of sick children to seven, according to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services. Those seven cases include four confirmed and three probable. A two-year-old boy sadly died on June 24, 2019 after visiting the fair.
All of the children had visited animal exhibits at the fair before they got sick. The two new cases are a 2-year-old who was at the fair on June 22, 2019, got sick on June 26, and was not hospitalized, and a 4-year-old who visited the fair on June 21, got sick on June 29, and is currently hospitalized.
Dr. Dean Sidelinger, interim deputy county public health officer, said in a statement, “The investigation is ongoing, and even though the fair is over, there are likely more cases that will be reported. This isn’t unusual for a public health investigation. We have asked local doctors to be on the lookout for symptoms of STEC.” STEC is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria.
It can take weeks between the time a child is sick, his parents take him to the doctor, he is diagnose, and the diagnosis is reported to public health officials. Even probable E. coli cases are usually reported to authorities.
County health officials recommended that the San Diego County Fair close all animal exhibits to the public when the outbreak was first reported last week.
The symptoms of a STEC infection include severe and painful abdominal cramps, diarrhea that is usually watery or bloody (3 or more loose stools in a 24-hour period), vomiting, and a mild fever. Children under the age of 5 are more likely to suffer serious complications, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, if they contract this infection.
HUS is a type of kidney failure. Symptoms of this complication include little urine output, easy bruising, lethargy, and pale skin. HUS can be life-threatening. Anyone with those symptoms should see a doctor immediately.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an E. coli infection or HUS, you can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900.
To protect yourself and your children if you choose to visit a fair or petting zoo, there are some steps you can follow. Never bring beverages or food into an animal exhibit. Always wash your hands well after contact with animals or after you have visited farms, petting zoos, and fairs. Don’t bring strollers into those exhibits, since the wheels can pick up pathogens.
Pritzker Hageman law firm is a national company that helps those sickened by pathogens get answers, compensation, and justice. Our attorneys represent patients and families of children in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against grocery stores, daycare centers, food producers and processors, petting zoos, animal exhibits, restaurants, and retailers. Attorney Fred Pritzker and his team won $7.5 million for a young client whose kidneys failed after he developed hemolytic uremic syndrome as a result of an E. coli infection. It’s important to remember that class action lawsuits may not be appropriate for outbreak victims because each case is very unique.
Hi. What/who is the source of your information? Thank you
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services department news center.