More pupils offered E.coli bug screening

Local & National

Monday, March 17, 2008

Pupils at a third nursery school are being offered screening for the E.coli bug, it emerged today.

The Eastern Health Board confirmed that the investigation into the outbreak of the infection has been extended in Co Antrim.

Children who attend Brooklands Nursery in Dundonald are now being offered screening after a child was identified as possibly having the bug.

It is understood the child in question was linked to an earlier case in another nursery.

A spokesman for the Eastern Health Board said parents met a team from the board on Saturday and were given advice and information on good hygiene and the screening process.

He added that screening would be continuing today.

"The general investigation is proceeding well and all the parents have co-operated throughout the process," he added.

The E.coli outbreak was first identified at Ravenscroft Nursery in east Belfast.

Pupils at the Cathedral Nursery in the west of the city were also screened after some of them visited Ravenscroft.

Dr Lourda Geoghegan, from the Eastern Health Board, said the latest screening is a "precautionary measure".

"We are advising that the risk to children and staff at Brooklands is low," she told the BBC.

"However, we are adopting a very cautious and precautionary approach with regard to public health action."

Last week schools chiefs sought to allay fears of a further outbreak.

In a statement issued by the South Eastern Education and Library Board it said it wished to reassure the public that "there is no case of E.coli 0157 associated with Belvoir Park Primary School". It is understood that a decision was taken to close the school following rumours over a possible outbreak.

However, the SEELB has said that its assurance is based on the " specialist advice" of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board Incident Control Team.

Children and pensioners are especially vulnerable to E.coli 0157 which is normally found in the intestines of people and cattle and can be passed on by eating infected food and liquid.