Dozens fall ill after petting session at farm
Dozens of people fell ill after an Easter holiday petting session at a farm in south Wales.
At least 28 people have been diagnosed with a parasitical infection after visiting a farm in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, to feed lambs and calves.
The outbreak of the Cryptosporidium infection among visitors to the Cowbridge Farm Shop at Marlborough Grange Farm is now being investigated by health authorities.
Alba Dobbinson, eight, suffered nausea and diarrhoea after feeding lambs at the farm with her mother, Vici, on April 17.
Mrs Dobbinson said: 'We were stunned because we had only been around other families and couldn't pinpoint where Alba had caught it.'
She added: 'It's not like a 48-hour bug, it can potentially go on for up to a month. She can't even go to school, spend time with her friends or enjoy the weather.'
The farm has suspended the petting and feeding sessions and promised refunds in a since-deleted social media post.
In the post, it said the sessions had been cancelled because of 'unforeseen circumstances'.
It is now being investigated by Public Health Wales (PHW), the Cardiff and Vale NHS health board, and Vale of Glamorgan council.
Su Mably, the PHW consultant in health protection, said: 'We are working closely with partners to investigate these cases and to understand if there is a wider risk to the public.
'We would advise anyone who has visited the farm, particularly those who attended feeding or petting sessions, and who is now experiencing symptoms, to contact their GP.'
PHW also urged the public to wash their hands after touching animals at a farm.
Cllr Ruba Sivagnanam, Vale of Glamorgan council's cabinet member for community engagement, equalities and regulatory services, said the council was 'working with the business to prevent any further cases of ill health'.
Cryptosporidium is an infection from parasites that live in the faeces of infected animals and can cause illness in humans.
The main symptoms of a Cryptosporidium infection include watery diarrhoea, stomach pains or cramps, nausea or vomiting, mild fever, loss of appetite and weight loss.
Symptoms usually begin two to 10 days after exposure and can last for up to two weeks.
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