Latest news with #STEC
Belfast Telegraph
11 hours ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
PHA ‘working closely' with NI nursery closed following E-coli outbreak
Parents and staff at the nursery – which is in the Belfast area – have been informed and given advice on how to reduce the spread of infection. The PHA has not named the nursery. A spokesperson said: 'The Public Health Agency (PHA) is investigating and managing an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) associated with a nursery in Belfast. 'All relevant public health actions are being undertaken. As a precautionary measure the nursery has voluntarily closed to allow for testing of all children and staff and a deep clean. 'PHA is working closely with the nursery to ensure all infection control measures are in place. Parents and staff at the nursery have been informed and given advice to help reduce the risk of spreading the infection. "PHA continues to monitor the situation.' STEC symptoms can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever but most people recover within five to seven days. The PHA also issued advice for anyone who contracts the infection. 'Most people with STEC infection get better within five to seven days,' they said. "However diarrhoeal illnesses can be easily spread from person to person in nursery settings due to the close contact between children and staff, especially as young children may not be able to maintain good hand hygiene. "It is vital that everyone follows some simple rules to help prevent the spread of diarrhoeal illness – not just those with symptoms. News Catch Up - Tuesday 3 June "Everyone should wash their hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food. Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available, however soap and water is the preferred option. "People with vomiting or diarrhoea should remain at home until they have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing it on to others.'
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Nursery school shuts due to E. coli outbreak
A Belfast nursery school has closed for a "deep clean" following an E. coli outbreak. The Public Health Agency (PHA) confirmed it was investigating and managing an outbreak of "Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)" linked to the nursery. The PHA did not name the school but said it had shut voluntarily for cleaning and to allow all staff and pupils to be tested for the infection. STEC symptoms can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever but most people recover within five to seven days. However, a small proportion of patients, mainly children, can develop a serious life-threatening condition which can lead to kidney failure. The PHA said it was "working closely with the nursery to ensure all infection control measures are in place" and was continuing to monitor the situation. It explained "diarrhoeal illnesses can be easily spread from person to person in nursery settings due to the close contact between children and staff". The outbreak was first reported by Belfast Live on Tuesday morning.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Belfast nursery school shuts due to E. coli outbreak
A Belfast nursery school has closed for a "deep clean" following an E. coli outbreak. The Public Health Agency (PHA) confirmed it was investigating and managing an outbreak of "Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)" linked to the nursery. The PHA did not name the school but said it had shut voluntarily for cleaning and to allow all staff and pupils to be tested for the infection. STEC symptoms can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever but most people recover within five to seven days. However, a small proportion of patients, mainly children, can develop a serious life-threatening condition which can lead to kidney failure. The PHA said it was "working closely with the nursery to ensure all infection control measures are in place" and was continuing to monitor the situation. It explained "diarrhoeal illnesses can be easily spread from person to person in nursery settings due to the close contact between children and staff".The outbreak was first reported by Belfast Live on Tuesday morning.
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Popular air fryer recalled from Wilko and The Range over 'serious risk of fire'
The Range and Wilko have pulled the kitchen product from shelves over concerns it could melt, warp or even catch fire. A popular air fryer has been recalled over serious concerns that the product could melt or warp when in use, posing a serious fire risk. Wilko and The Range have taken the product off of store shelves, and customers who have purchased the fryer are being urged to return it. The Haden air fryer was deemed by the Office for Product Safety and Standards as posing a 'serious risk of fire'. It was concluded by the safety watchdog that the kitchen gadget's maximum temperature could melt or warp the product's plastic, or could catch fire. The regulator warned: "The product presents a serious risk of fire as the heating element exceeds 150 degrees (the marked limit). After prolonged use on the highest setting, the plastic and metal parts can warp and melt, presenting a risk of fire.' It was also found that the piece of kitchen kit failed to adhere to the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. Those who have purchased the product are being urged to return it to its place of purchase for a full refund. And the popular air fryer is not the only kitchen product to be recalled recently. Last week, Kenneth Hanna's Farm Shop in Northern Ireland announced that STEC (a deadly bacteria) was potentially found to have contaminated their Jersey milk. Customers are being urged not to consume or use Ken's Raw Jersey Milk and instead, return it or dispose of it. The recall, which applied exclusively to customers based in Northern Ireland, affected all batch codes and use-by dates of the two-litre bottles of the cow milk. An alert sharing the details of the milk recall was recently posted to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which explained many of the symptoms associated with STEC organisms. These symptoms included severe diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. In some cases, it can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal. Anyone experiencing these symptoms has been advised to avoid going to school, work or nursery for up to 48 hours to avoid passing them on. STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli) is a specific type of that produces Shiga toxins, which are potent biological toxins that can cause severe illness in humans. O157:H7 is the most well-known STEC strain and is often linked to foodborne outbreaks from undercooked beef, raw produce, or unpasteurised dairy. Symptoms of an STEC infection typically begin three to four days after exposure but can range from one to 10 days. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Agriland
23-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
FSAI issues recall for batch of milk product
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued an urgent recall for a batch of a milk product as it may contain of a type of E. coli bacteria. The authority said that the recall, issued today (Friday, May 23) applies to a batch of Loughpark Farm Raw Milk due to the possible presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). STEC, which is also known as verocytotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC), are a specific group of E. coli. While most E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans, STEC produce a powerful toxin which can cause severe illness. Symptoms include abdominal cramps and diarrhoea which is sometimes bloody. Usually there is little or no fever, and patients recover within 5 to 10 days. However, in some people, particularly children under 5 years of age and the elderly, the infection can cause a complication called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys can stop working properly. The time between the initial infection and the first symptoms appearing is typically between 3 and 4 days but can range between 1 and 8 days. FSAI The FSAI said that the affected batch of one litre Loughpark Farm Raw Milk has a code number of 200525 and an expiry date of May 26, 2025. The authority added that recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale. Source: FSAI The FSAI has requested that retailers remove the implicated batch from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale. Consumers are also being advised not to drink the implicated batch.
