Update: An E. coli outbreak has been declared at six Calgary Fueling Brains daycares and five additional sites sharing a centralized kitchen by the Alberta Health Services (AHS). The Fueling Brains daycare branches located in Braeside, Bridgeland, Centennial, McKnight, New Brighton, and West 85th have received closure orders. Similarly, Braineer Academy, Kidz Space, Little Oak Early Education, Almond Branch School and Vik Academy in Okotoks have been ordered closed as well
According to press reports, Alberta Health Services (AHS) confirmed that multiple children arrived at the Alberta Children’s Hospital with bloody diarrhea over the Labor Day long weekend, and that they are dealing with an E. coli outbreak. The outbreak is believed to have originated at a central kitchen that is shared by six locations of Fueling Brains, a day care that operates multiple locations in Calgary, as well as five additional institutions, AHS said in its statement.
In its statement, AHS said that there are 17 lab-confirmed cases that have been linked to the outbreak, as well as 12 individuals hospitalized. Up to 50 children have come to hospitals, AHS said.
“A lot of these kids, unfortunately, have to be admitted for 24 hours,” said Dr. Arun Abbi, president of Emergency medicine with Alberta Medical Association, told CBC News in an interview.
All of the sites linked to the central kitchen where the outbreak came from have been issued a closure order until the situation is resolved. They include:
• Fueling Brains Braeside.
• Fueling Brains West 85th.
• Fueling Brains New Brighton.
• Fueling Brains Centennial.
• Fueling Brains Bridgeland.
• Fueling Brains McKnight.
• Braineer Academy.
• Kidz Space.
• Little Oak Early Education (formerly Mangrove).
• Almond Branch School.
• Vik Academy in Okotoks, Alta.
In a letter addressed to parents of the New Brighton location obtained by CBC News, the daycare asks parents and guardians to make sure their children “urgently” seek medical attention if they display any symptoms of gastrointestinal outbreak symptoms.
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