UK girl, 11, fighting for life in hospital as butchers supplying local school closed

An 11-year-old girl was left fighting for her life in hospital after a butchers supplying her school was closed in an E. coli O157 outbreak.

e.coli.Tia DonaldsonTia Donaldson, from Billingham, Teesside, was in a critical condition in hospital after suffering kidney failure and a series of mini strokes.

A local butchers shop, Robinson’s Butchers and Caterers, was voluntarily closed down last month after a total of 15 people in the area were affected by E. coli.

Tia’s mum Rachel Donaldson told the Teesside Gazette how Tia could be left with permanent damage after being placed on kidney dialysis and nearly suffering ruptures of her bowel and stomach.

The horrendous turn of events began when Tia was sent home from school on Friday, July 10, complaining of a stomach ache.

By Sunday, her symptoms were so severe that Rachael and Tia’s dad John, 52, took her to Stockton’s North Tees Hospital.

Rachael said after spending three days at North Tees Tia was blue-lighted to the RVI on July 15 – where Tia has been ever since.

She is now off dialysis and has seen a slight improvement in her condition.

Health protection experts from Public Health England and environmental health teams from both Stockton and County Durham councils are continuing to investigate all possible sources of the outbreak.

Robinson’s butchers agreed to close on a voluntary basis while the source is investigated.

A statement released by Northfield School and Sports College, said: “Public Health England say that the source of this outbreak is not yet known.

15 still sick with E. coli O157 linked to UK butcher

Fifteen cases of E. coli O157 have emerged as a result of an outbreak. Health officials say many of those affected fell ill after eating pre-cooked meats or savoury products purchased or supplied by the Robinsons Butchers site in Billingham.

butchers1.jpg-pwrt3-300x2251-300x225Investigations into the source of the outbreak are continuing. Anyone who bought products from the Billingham shop between June 25 and July 15 has been advised to dispose of the items.

No cases have been associated with the Robinson’s Wingate premises since control measures were introduced on Wednesday, July 15

Amandeep Dhillon, an Irwin Mitchell partner and specialist public health lawyer, said the firm had now heard first-hand accounts regarding the outbreak linked to Robinson’s Butchers in Billingham and “are beginning to make our own enquiries in relation to the problems.”