Capital District E. coli Alert
Albany, September 3, 1999 – The New York State Department of Health today warned that cases of E. coli 0157:H7 infection are suspected in at least a dozen Capital District children, many of whom attended the recent Washington County Fair. The Fair ran August 23 through August 29.
Because the disease can be serious or fatal, especially for young children and the elderly, prompt diagnosis is vital. People are urged to check with their health care provider if they or their children experience the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea, especially bloody diarrhea (although bloody diarrhea is a common symptom of E. coli infection, it is not always present);
- Abdominal pain or cramping;
- Fever, along with the other symptoms.
Symptoms typically occur about three days after exposure, with a range of one to nine days.
Affected children have been hospitalized in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Warren counties.
State and county health officials, along with officials from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets are investigating to identify possible sources of infection. They are interviewing patients and their families to determine which foods they ate or any other common activities. Additional information on the outbreak is not available at this time.
9/3/99-100 OPA