The Department of Health and Community Services advises that there have been 22 confirmed cases of E.coli in the province this week, and Public Health officials within the department, as well as the regional health authorities are working with Service NL to investigate.

E.coli is spread primarily through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Person-to-person transmission can also occur. Careful food preparation techniques and hand washing are important in the prevention of E.coli.

Anyone with severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain should seek medical attention.

Food handlers, health care workers, daycare workers, and children attending daycares with these symptoms, should remain at home until the symptoms are resolved and they are cleared by a health care professional.

More information on food safety can be found online at  www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/publichealth/envhealth/foodsafetyinfo.html

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Media contact
Kathy Dicks-Peyton
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 699-1982
kathydickspeyton@gov.nl.ca