Daycares in the Calgary area that are part of an E.coli outbreak can re-open next week, with conditions.
Eleven Southern Alberta daycares were affected by an E. coli outbreak that was declared by Alberta Health Services (AHS) on Sept. 4.
At that time, all of the facilities were ordered to close by AHS.
In an update Sept. 8, AHS Calgary Zone medical officer of health Dr. Franco Rizzuti said the are 142 lab-confirmed cases connected to the outbreak, and 26 patients are currently in hospital.
Rizzuti said 11 children that are in hospital have more severe complications, and a small number are on dialysis.
Four of the childcare locations have not had any reported diagnosis or symptoms of E.coli, and they are permitted to reopen on Monday, Sept. 10.
The other seven facilities, including VIK Academy in Okotoks, have had children get sick, and they will be able to reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 11, with conditions.
Children and staff will have to get clearance from AHS before they can return to the childcare facility.
“This is in order to prevent any further transmission of infection,” Rizzuti said.
He said parents will be notified beginning on Monday morning.
“I really do want to reiterate that we only reopen the facility if we are confident that health and safety will not be affected.”
He said it’s hard to say what case numbers will look like over the next few days, but that AHS anticipates them stabilizing over the weekend and into next week.
The affected sites share a central kitchen, and AHS is still working to determine the source of the outbreak.
“We continue to work to find the source of this outbreak, but have not yet pinpointed it.”
More information is available at ahs.ca/ecoli.
