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Several cases of collective food infection have been identified in recent days among students in schools in Saint-André-Lez-Lille. Several of these children required hospitalization.
The Hauts-de-France regional health agency has been alerted to a suspicion of collective food poisoning (TIAC). A TIAC is suspected when at least two people who have consumed the same food present similar symptoms, most often digestive (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain), within a short period of time.
21 cases enrolled in 3 schools in Saint-André-lez-Lille have been identified to date.
Investigations are underway, coordinated by the ARS, in conjunction with the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP) in order to determine the origin of the TIAC, and to put in place the necessary health measures.
The first investigations of the ARS allowed:
- estimate the date of contamination around September 2 and 3, taking into account the incubation period (1 to 8 days) and the dates of onset of the symptoms observed;
- to note that all the sick children ate in the canteen of the community attended.
The DDPP implements inspections to identify more precisely the food causing the cases, in order to be able to implement the necessary measures as quickly as possible to avoid any reproduction.
The catering services of the three school complexes concerned depend on the municipal catering service. This municipal service also supplies a fourth school complex, 3 nurseries and a home, in which there have been no other cases reported to date.
Information is being transmitted to the parents of the pupils of the establishments concerned.
Health professionals in the sector, liberal and hospital, have been informed of this event, in order to better adapt the management of suspected cases.
