The patient count in an E. coli outbreak linked to daycare centers in Calgary, Canada, now stands at 231.
Alberta Health Services officials say 26 of the sick are currently hospitalized, 25 of them children and one adult. Eleven other children have already been discharged from hospitals. Twenty-one children have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which is a type of kidney failure that also affects other organs.
A specific food has not been identified as the source of the E. coli O157:H7, but investigators have collected samples of leftovers and frozen food for testing. Eleven daycare centers that share a common kitchen were closed.
The central kitchen that serves the 11 daycare centers remains closed.
Four daycare centers were given permission to reopen Monday. The four centers did not have any illnesses linked to the outbreak. The remaining seven will be allowed to reopen Tuesday. Staff and daycare attendees from those seven centers must test negative before returning to any daycare center, according to Alberta Health Services.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has asked the provincial health minister and the provincial minister for children and family services to investigate the outbreak and provide a full assessment of the situation.
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