Tag Archives: creche

E. coli outbreak at childcare facility in mid-west Ireland

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The Department of Public Health in the Mid-West is handling an E.coli outbreak at a childcare facility and is reminding the public of the danger this bacteria can pose. 

Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTec) is a powerful strain of E.coli bacterium that lives in the gut of healthy cattle and sheep and can cause serious illness in the elderly and in children aged under five. 

The Mid-West public health department said the outbreak was under control but the incidence highlights the importance of hand hygiene and proper water treatment. 

VTec can be a source of food poisoning and can cause bowel inflammation leading to bloody diarrhea and severe stomach cramps. 

A specialist in public health said Ireland had one of the highest incidence rates of VTec in Europe and that the Mid-West region has one of the highest reported rates in the country. 

It underpins the importance of hand hygiene before and after preparing food, after contact with farm animals and their environment, and effective treatment and rehabilitation of private wells. 

HSE investigates highly contagious and dangerous case of e coli in Laois, Ireland

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The Health Service Executive is investigating a suspected case of E coli in a baby in Laois.

Sinead Moore of RSVP Live reports the HSE launched an investigation late last week after a potentially serious strain of the bacteria was suspected in the Irish infant.

The strain, called VTEC or verotoxigenic E coli, comes from contact with faeces of healthy farm animals. It can be spread through children’s shared toys or during nappy changing.

The child is understood to have since been diagnosed with the less dangerous E coli bacteria, the Leinster Express reports.

The bacteria can cause vomiting and diahorrea.

As part of the investigation, the creche the baby attends, Sonas Community Childcare Centre in Mountmellick Co Laois was contacted last Friday to raise awareness among staff and parents and to examine if other children attending the creche had any similar symptoms.

Ireland daycare closes over E. coli outbreak

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A community creche in Co Monaghan has been closed over an outbreak of shiga-toxin producing E.coli infection among children and staff.

Ballybay Community Creche was forced to close following the outbreak, to limit the spread of the infection. All children and staff members are due to be screened to see if they have picked up the infection.

Rats, Ireland and babies

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A crèche in Co Louth has been ordered to close after food safety inspectors discovered a rodent infestation in a pre-school room, baby room and nappy changing area.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that six closure orders and one prohibition order were served on food businesses during the month of March for breaches of food safety legislation.

Among them was Aladdins’ Cave Montessori School and Crèche, Stoney Lane, Ardee, Co Louth. Also in Co Louth, a closure orders were served on Panda House, a take away at 43 Barrack Street in Dundalk.

Hab Foods, trading as Haji Baba, a wholesaler, was ordered to close a black container unit adjacent to its main building in the Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10.

It was also served with a prohibition order and ordered to withdraw all minced lamb, diced beef, diced lamb and diced skinned chicken being supplied from the premises.

FSAI chief executive Dr Pamela Byrne said food business operators in Ireland “should fully understand that it is their legal responsibility to ensure they are maintaining a high standard of food safety throughout their food business. … Non-compliance by food businesses will not be tolerated and all breaches of food safety legislation will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.”

Irish nursery to close after E coli O26 outbreak

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A creche in Limerick has been asked to close by the public health department of the Health Service Executive as a result of an outbreak of E coli O26.

Fewer than ten children have been infected; a number of linked cases have been identified.

The closure is to enable all staff and children attending the creche to be screened.

The HSE said it was satisfied that the creche was fully compliant with pre-school standards.

However, children from this creche will not be able to attend other child care facilities until they have been cleared of infection.