Tag Archives: Scotland

7 sick; report says E coli outbreak at nursery in Scotland linked to dirty nappies

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One child remains in hospital almost five months after seven people were struck down with E. coli O157 at the Rose Lodge Nursery in Aberdeenshire in May.

The mother of the 22-month-old boy still hospitalized who has lost his sight, has severe hearing loss, complete kidney failure and partial brain damage, said through her solicitor “the report does not answer anything for her.

“The mother has been permanently residing in the hospital complex to care and attend to the child and is at the hospital from about morning until late evening seven days a week.

“She specifically wants the public reminded about how aggressive E. coli 0157 can be.

“She believes that she and the child have been forgotten about and that she is very angry about that.”

The report by NHS Grampian on the outbreak yesterday revealed that one of the possible reasons for the spread of the infection was staff failing to wash their hands properly after handling nappies.

However, the report said that the bug could have been passed on through private drinking water contaminated with animal feces from nearby fields, or due to issues with hand hygiene at a relative’s home.

The bug originated in the baby unit of the Aboyne nursery, which cares for 35 children. Four infants, one relative and two members of staff were all struck down with E coli O157.

The report advised the nursery to stop the use of a communal bowl for handwashing in the baby room and said the water at a sink in the nappy-changing area might have been too hot for effective handwashing. It also warned staff of the potential for contamination of the nursery floor from parents’ shoes.

An NHS Grampian spokesman said: “If the parents require any further clarificiation, they should contact the health protection team. We will be happy to meet them to discuss their concerns.”

A communal handwashing bowl when surrounded by poop – baby poop? If I was a parent taking my kid to that daycare, I would have said something. I know the parents and staff hate me at Sorenne’s school for being such a microbiological stickler, but this is why people have to speak up – before there’s an outbreak.

 

Mourners gather in bright pink for funeral of eight-year-old UK girl who died from E.c oli after holiday in US

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Hundreds of mourners dressed in bright pink gathered today in Ayrshire for the funeral of tragic E.coli victim Rachel Shaw.

The Daily Mail reports Rachel’s family – including mother Louise Baillie, 38, and father Adam Shaw, 35 – asked mourners attending Dalrymple Parish Church, East Ayrshire, to dress in the eight-year-old’s favourite color rather than wearing black.

A packed Ayrshire church saw family, neighbours, school pals and teachers come to bid a final farewell to the schoolgirl, whose little white coffin was decorated with pink flowers and a framed photograph.

Rachel died in hospital on Saturday night after contracting E. coli at the end of July. An investigation is underway as to the exact source of the bug, but it is believed she may have contracted it in the U.S. as she had recently returned from visiting her father, who lives there.

57 sick; norovirus strikes Scottish swimmers

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Swimming is dangerous is Scotland too – and not always because of monsters.

Over 50 people took ill after taking part in an open water swimming event at Strathclyde Loch.

They suffered sickness, stomach cramps and diarrhoea following the race which attracted 70 entrants from across Scotland.

None of those affected are thought to have been hospitalised, however, the loch has now been closed to water sports and boating.

Some of those who fell sick tested positive for norovirus. Experts believe heavy rain prior to the event may have contaminated the water.

A Motherwell Masters Amateur Swimming Club source said six members of their club took part and were “very ill.” They had to seek medical advice following the event and some were off work for a week, she added.

The event, the Western Districts Open Water Swimming Championships, took place on June 23.

If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap; Scotland to form own food agency

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The Scottish Government has today announced that it will create a new Scottish body for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection.

On behalf of the Board, Jeff Rooker, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said: ‘The FSA Board respects the decision the Scottish Government has taken to propose a free-standing, independent FSA for Scotland. We will work with the Scottish Government to meet their objectives while ensuring that consumers’ interests in relation to food continue to be protected.

‘The FSA Board is particularly mindful that this decision will directly impact on almost 200 of our staff based in Scotland, for example in meat plants as well as those in the FSA’s Aberdeen office, and will have an effect on how the rest of the organisation works. We will work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure that the concerns of our staff are appropriately addressed.

‘Until any alternative legislative amendments come into force, the FSA will continue to carry out its duties as at present. Food safety throughout the UK remains the FSA’s number one priority.’

Cue the bagpipes.

Fancy restaurant linked to norovirus outbreak sickening over 100 in Scotland

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More than 100 people connected to the Gleneagles Hotel have been hit by a suspected norovirus outbreak.

Scotsman.com reports the luxury Auchterarder venue is working with NHS Tayside to identify the cause of the cases of vomiting and diarrhea and put in place infection-control measures.

Most of the cases only came to light after guests who had stayed there last weekend contacted the hotel after falling ill.

Some staff and hotel residents are still recovering, but an NHS spokeswoman said nobody had been taken to hospital.

A spokeswoman for Gleneagles said a “mix” of residents, guests and staff were affected.

The hotel is home to Scotland’s only two-star Michelin star restaurant, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. The prestigious hotel has played host to major golf tournaments and the international G8 summit in 2005.

It will also host the Ryder Cup golf tournament in 2014.

 

Seven now confirmed with E. coli O157 linked to Aberdeenshire nursery

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The number of confirmed cases of E. coli in an outbreak connected to an Aberdeenshire nursery has risen to seven, including three adults and four children; a further four children are suspected cases.

The outbreak centres on the Rose Lodge Nursery School in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, where the first suspected case emerged last Sunday.

NHS Grampian’s health protection team is investigating the source of the outbreak.

E. coli O157 outbreak at Scottish nursery grows

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An additional six cases of E. coli O157 are now suspected in children at a nursery in Scotland, as one of the three hospitalized children has been released.

The Scottish Sun reports infection experts are trying to track down the source of the sickness and diarrhoa outbreak which hit the under-twos section at Rose Lodge Nursery in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

NHS Grampian said health protection teams found “reasonable” food hygiene and infection control at the unit.

Owner Julie Grant said: “We have taken the advice to close our Baby Room until further notice.

“The nursery remains open to unaffected families of children over two years old.

“We have a high standard of hygiene and rigorous infection control procedures. Our thoughts are with the children and families affected.”

3 infants stricken with E. coli O157 at Scottish nursery

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It’s an unfortunate, but familiar story for UK childcares.

The Scotsman reports three infants were being treated in hospital following a suspected E coli O157 outbreak linked to the baby unit at a nursery school.

NHS Grampian confirmed that infection control specialists at the health authority are investigating two confirmed cases and four suspected cases of potentially deadly E coli O157 infection in children who attend Rose Lodge Nursery School in Aboyne, Royal Deeside.

The baby unit at the nursery school has been closed while investigations continue to identify the source of the bug. The garden in the grounds of the nursery in the heart of the village has also been declared out of bounds to the children but the nursery remains open.

The three children who have been admitted to hospital were all being cared for in the baby unit. There are a total of 40 children at the nursery, which takes children from six weeks up to the age of five.

NHS Grampian stressed yesterday the investigation to pinpoint a possible source for the bug was not focused solely on the nursery and that other potential sources of infection in the predominantly rural area were also being looked at.

A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said no orders had been issued to close the Aboyne nursery. “The investigation is not centring on the nursery. We are also investigating other potential sources of exposure. E coli O157 are bacteria that are commonly carried in the gut of a variety of farm animals and their feces.”

NHS Grampian was informed about the first possible case of infection on Sunday night and of two other cases on Tuesday.

Scottish council cancels cattle show because E. coli fears not taken seriously

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This is proactively awesome.

After decades of farm-show-petting-zoo-fair related outbreaks, particularly of E. coli O157, and after four people were sickened last year, this weekend’s Drymen Show has been cancelled because organizers did not take appropriate steps to reduce risk of E. coli infection.

The Scottish Farmer, my favorite bathtime reading, reports the Drymen Show has been cancelled – and Stirling Council officials have laid the blame at the show organizers’ door, saying that they failed to follow steps to reduce the risk to visitors from E.coli O157 in animal dung.

Further, Stirling Council made it clear that the show’s organizers had been given several reminders about the bio-security rules, as concerns had been raised last year, when four people with links to Drymen Show were diagnosed with E. coli O157.

A spokesperson for the Council said the "Scottish Government provide guidance on the recreational use of animal pasture to reduce the risk of E.coli O157, stating that farm animals should be kept off fields for three weeks prior to use with removal of any visible animal droppings. Contact with farm animal feces on farm pasture presents a risk to the public, especially young children, from the spread of E. coli O157.

"Despite having received assurances that the animals had been removed, this was found not to be the case and animals remained on the show ground area as of May 18 – only 8 days before the date of the Show.

"It is particularly disappointing that the Drymen Show’s organizers did not act upon the proper advice given by Council officers. The same advice and licence conditions are adhered to by other agricultural shows in the Stirling area."

‘I wouldn’t eat there’ Scottish stadium slated by council after failing food hygiene tests

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Hampden Park, Scotland’s National Stadium, a 52,000ish seat venue in Glasgow, has been slammed by food hygiene inspectors over the state of its kitchens.

The Daily Record reports a series of food safety breaches were discovered at Hampden’s hospitality suites, including dirty, crumbling work surfaces, out-of-date food and staff who didn’t know they had to wash their hands.

A head chef with no food hygiene training was employed, bins were uncovered and shoes and trainers were left lying in food preparation areas.

The damning report of the failed inspection also revealed kitchen staff risked poisoning customers by storing raw and ready-to-eat meals in the same vacuum packaging machine.

Hampden’s facilities are used for corporate clients during Scotland games and concerts, with hospitality packages costing up to £2850. This summer, the stadium will host London Olympics football matches.

The kitchens are run by Prestige Scotland, part of the Sodexo catering group.

The inspection by officers from Glasgow City Council was carried out late last year but has only now been made public.

Food safety expert Professor Hugh Pennington said: “This report makes very grim reading and I wouldn’t be going to eat there. There is a whole list of very serious breaches. Employing qualified staff and handwashing are just basic things which they should be getting right. The place was obviously not being run properly and there would have been a real risk of customers getting food poisoning. Storing ready-to-eat and raw foods in the same vacuum packaging machine is known to be a dangerous practice.”