A child in SW Virginia has died of an E. coli infection, and another person “in close contact” with the child has been infected as well.
Virginia Department of Health spokesman Robert Parker said Monday afternoon that the E. coli that killed the child and infected a second person has been identified as the strain “0157H7.”
Unofficially, the child who died has been identified as a 2-year-old girl from Dryden, Va. A call to the Lee County Health Department requesting information about the death of a 2-year-old Dryden girl due to possible E. coli infection was directed first to the Wise County Health Department, then to Dr. Eleanor Cantrell, director of the Lenowisco Health District. A call requesting comment from Cantrell was later returned by Parker.
The girl’s brother is reportedly undergoing treatment at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, although officials there declined to release any information on the boy.
Health officials recommend the following steps to avoid infection from E. coli:
• Cook foods, especially raw meats, thoroughly.
• Avoid unpasteurized foods and drinks.
• Thoroughly wash any raw foods before consumption.
• Wash food preparation surfaces, containers and utensils after each use. For example, do not cut up raw meats and raw vegetables on the same cutting board or using the same knife, without washing both between uses.
• Avoid contact with contaminated water, which could be a river, lake or swimming pool. Take care not to swallow any water not intended for drinking.
Parker further advised that immediate medical attention should be sought for young children suffering from diarrhea, a common symptom of E. coli and other gastrointestinal infections, as dehydration can set in quickly.
Times News
hostgator coupon 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment