4 infected with E. coli after visit to petting farm
EVERETT, Wash. - At least four people are sick from an E. coli outbreak that health officials have traced back to a petting zoo in Snohomish County.
Two children and two adults were infected after visiting the city of Everett's Animal Farm at Forest Park, say officials with the city of Everett and the Snohomish County Health District.
And now the Health District is issuing a wider warning that others may have gotten sick - or could get sick if they do not take precautions.
Officials say the outbreak affected the four victims one by one - and forced one child into a hospital stay. Certain strains of E. coli can cause vomiting and severe diarrhea.
It's unclear which of the animals made people ill. There are many strains of E. coli, and it's not an easy process to sort out.
What doctors do know is that one of the workers at the petting zoo became sick last week.
Then on Monday health officials learned that a father, his young son and an unrelated young girl got sick after visiting the petting farm last week.
Doctors say the bottom line to stop this type of illness is to prevent it in the first place.
"The key here is to reduce the amount of contamination on our hands," says Dr. Gary Goldbaum of the Snohomish Health District. "You can do that very effectively if you wash the hands carefully."
It's not known if the people who got sick used the hand-washing stations at the farm.
One child ended up in the hospital for three days, but has since been released. All four individuals are said to be doing well at this point.
But health experts say if anyone else has visited this farm and has stomach or bowel problems, they should get it checked out by a doctor.
The petting farm got a thorough bleaching on Wednesday, and city officials say it exceeds state health standards.
Two children and two adults were infected after visiting the city of Everett's Animal Farm at Forest Park, say officials with the city of Everett and the Snohomish County Health District.
And now the Health District is issuing a wider warning that others may have gotten sick - or could get sick if they do not take precautions.
Officials say the outbreak affected the four victims one by one - and forced one child into a hospital stay. Certain strains of E. coli can cause vomiting and severe diarrhea.
It's unclear which of the animals made people ill. There are many strains of E. coli, and it's not an easy process to sort out.
What doctors do know is that one of the workers at the petting zoo became sick last week.
Then on Monday health officials learned that a father, his young son and an unrelated young girl got sick after visiting the petting farm last week.
Doctors say the bottom line to stop this type of illness is to prevent it in the first place.
"The key here is to reduce the amount of contamination on our hands," says Dr. Gary Goldbaum of the Snohomish Health District. "You can do that very effectively if you wash the hands carefully."
It's not known if the people who got sick used the hand-washing stations at the farm.
One child ended up in the hospital for three days, but has since been released. All four individuals are said to be doing well at this point.
But health experts say if anyone else has visited this farm and has stomach or bowel problems, they should get it checked out by a doctor.
The petting farm got a thorough bleaching on Wednesday, and city officials say it exceeds state health standards.
