The E. coli outbreak linked to the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina is the latest example of how children are hit hardest when foodborne illness strikes fairgoers. Of the 106 people included in this outbreak, 64 are children, 12 of whom have been hospitalized and one of whom has died, according to the latest update from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Animal exposure has been identified as a a possible source of the outbreak, which has been the case in a number of instances where foodborne illness outbreaks have been linked to fairs and petting zoos. “These events are a well recognized source of E. coli poisoning and have been implicated in several outbreaks in recent years,” said Fred Pritzker, food safety attorney and publisher of Food Poisoning Bulletin. … [Read more...]
Cleveland County Fair E. coli Outbreak Grows to 81
The E. coli outbreak linked to the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina has grown to include 81 people, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The outbreak is among people who attended the Fair, which ended on October 7, 2012. Attorney Fred Pritzker, who is accepting cases from the current outbreak, said, "officials think this outbreak may have been caused by contamination in the Cleveland County Fair's interactive animal exhibits." An E. coli infection can lead to may long term health problems, including kidney ailments, hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. "It is crucial that anyone sickened in this outbreak get immediate medical care," he added. The case count as of 2 pm on October 18, 2012 is: Cleveland County (48), Gaston County (11, with … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak Linked to Cleveland County Fair in NC Grows to Include SC
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released a statement saying that the number of E. coli cases among people who attended the Cleveland County Fair has grown from 21 to 38. They include 22 children and 16 adults. Eight people have been or were hospitalized; a toddler died on Friday from the infection. Public health officials are interviewing family members of the patients and information is being analyzed. As of Monday, October 15, 2012, the case counts are as follows: Cleveland County (18), Gaston County (7), Lincoln County (9), Catawba County (1), Union County (1), York County, South Carolina (1), Cherokee County, South Carolina (1). All of the patients attended the Cleveland County Fair in Shelby, North Carolina, September 27 through October 7. Attorney … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak From Cleveland County Fair In NC Grows
The E.coli outbreak associated with the attending the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina has sickened at least 13 people, according to state health authorities. Of the eight children and five adults who became ill, eight are from Cleveland County, four are from Gaston County and one person is from Lincoln County. Public health officials from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and health departments in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties are working together to investigate the E.coli outbreak among those who visited the fair between September 26 and October 7. So far, they have determined that two of those sickened have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections. One of them is a 12 year-old boy who has been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a … [Read more...]
