The Alabama Department of Public Health has determined that SunnySide Child Care Center has complied with all necessary training and operational requirements. As a result of the compliance by the center, the emergency closure order for the kitchen has been lifted. During an investigation of an outbreak, the childcare center staff was very cooperative with Public Health staff. The Montgomery County Environmental Staff will continue to closely monitor food-handling operations.

The day care centers were closed by Public Health so that an investigation could be conducted after reports of a widespread illness causing 86 children attending the two-day care centers to be seen at three Montgomery hospitals in association with a potential outbreak. The children had symptoms of lethargy, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps. Thirty children were hospitalized.

During the investigation, public health staff inspected the centers in Montgomery and collected clinical and environmental samples that were processed at the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories and conducted a detailed questionnaire to help determine the cause of the outbreak.

The Alabama Department of Public Health Bureau of Clinical Laboratories has confirmed that the same Staphylococcus aureus toxin-producing bacteria that grew from several food products served at a Montgomery child care center matches the bacteria from samples taken from children who became ill after ingesting food at the center.

Public health environmentalists have worked with SunnySide Child Care Center employees regarding the kitchen and food handling to avoid any reoccurrence and prevent future food-related outbreaks. Operations at the facility were resumed Monday.

Other clinical samples tested were negative as of July 1.