Riga, April 4
An outbreak of a dangerous Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection in Latvia has left 53 people, including seven adults, ill, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) said.
According to the CDC, cases of E. coli have been confirmed in 28 schools, 26 preschool institutions, and two elementary schools across the country.
The Children's Clinical University Hospital in Riga has treated 28 children for the infection. As of Thursday, 12 of them had recovered and were discharged, while 16 remained hospitalised, including four in intensive care.
Epidemiologists have not yet identified the source of the infection. After extensive laboratory testing and contact tracing, investigators assume the outbreak may be linked to contaminated food products. However, the CDC also did not rule out a mixed-source outbreak, possibly involving a product contaminated with multiple pathogens, news agency reported.
The CDC said that Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are normally present in the intestines of both humans and animals and are typically harmless. However, certain strains -- known as STEC or VTEC (Shiga toxin or verotoxin-producing E. coli) -- can produce dangerous toxins that cause severe illness.