Nurseries struck by E.coli 0157 infection
Five children who attend a Careshare Nursery in Fife remained seriously ill in hospital as Nursery World went to press on Monday, in an outbreak of E.coli 0157 linked to the nursery. Careshare is part of Just Learning, one of the UK's largest nursery chains, co-founded by Conservative MP Michael Fallon and currently up for sale for £80m.
Careshare is part of Just Learning, one of the UK's largest nursery chains, co-founded by Conservative MP Michael Fallon and currently up for sale for £80m.
The incident comes just weeks after a tragedy at a Just Learning nursery in Cambourne, Cornwall when a ten-month-old died after choking on a piece of apple. The nursery re-opened on Monday after investigators concluded that staff should not be prosecuted.
Initially, three cases of E.coli were identified at the Careshare Nursery at Lauder college, Dunfermline.
NHS Fife said that the condition of one child was improving and the other four remained stable. They are being treated for kidney failure at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow.
Two children and one adult confirmed as having the E.coli 0157 infection were being treated at home and 23 people were being regarded as possible cases but were not in hospital.
An incident control team is investigating the possible cause of the outbreak. A statement from NHS Fife said that it was likely that the 'infection had been brought into the nursery by an adult or child' and spread 'through person to person'.
Careshare closed the nursery voluntarily on Tuesday 9 May on advice from officials. It is understood that NHS Fife did not advise the nursery to close until several days after the first case of E.coli in one of the children at the nursery was confirmed.
More than half of the 22 Careshare nurseries had recently been criticised by the Care Commission over hygiene issues.
A statement from the Care Commission confirmed that it had 'made recent recommendations or requirements in relation to hygiene or infection control issues in 13 Careshare services.'
However, a spokesman for Careshare said, 'We have no doubt about the hygiene of any of our nurseries. There is no evidence at all that the nursery has any hygiene problems now.'
Careshare said it viewed the situation 'very seriously'. In a statement it said, 'We want to know how the E.coli came into the nursery as much as anyone. We understand the importance of the scientists reaching accurate conclusions regardless of how long it takes. Throughout, we have followed the advice we were given by NHS Fife. Senior managers of the company have been working with the authorities to help find the source.'
In a separate incident, two children who attend Dreams Daycare in Insch near Aberdeeen were being tested for suspected cases of E.coli 0157.
Meanwhile, nursery and reception children from St Illtyd's Roman Catholic primary school in Merthyr Tydfil were being tested for E.coli 0157 after an 11-month-old and his three-year-old brother who attended the nursery were confirmed as having the infection.
