Park Cafe in E-coli Food Poisoning Alert

People affected by E-coli food poisoning at Park Cafe

16/09/2008

Five people including three young children needed hospital treatment after falling ill with E.coli food poisoning in a suspected outbreak at a popular Sheffield park café. An investigation has been launched by South Yorkshire Health Protection Unit and Sheffield Council after they were alerted to the cases by health officials.

The five taken ill were three pre-school children and two adults, one of whom was middle aged and the other an elderly woman. All needed hospital treatment and one of the youngsters and the pensioner were detained. Dr Rosy McNaught, consultant in communicable disease control at South Yorkshire Health Protection Unit, said the only link between the cases was that all those infected had eaten at Millhouses Park Café. Tests for the virus within the café have proved negative but results are still outstanding from its food suppliers.

The café has been closed since Friday. Dr McNaught said that of the two most seriously ill patients, the youngster was kept in overnight, but she was unable to reveal further details about the pensioner's condition.

The form of E. coli - strain 0157 - comes from the guts of cattle and is likely to be from contaminated meat. The other known source, unpasteurised milk, is banned from sale in restaurants and cafés.

Results from tests inside the café have come back as negative for E.coli but investigators are still awaiting those from food suppliers. If these are negative, the café will be cleared to reopen. Tests are also being carried out on soil and water in the park to check if either is contaminated.

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