Update: This story was updated following the province’s clarification that six, not five, additional daycares were impacted.
Calgary’s E. coli outbreak has now affected six more daycare sites, which have been ordered to shut down by Alberta Health Services. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mark Joffe, announced this development in a statement released just before midnight on Friday. According to Dr. Joffe, some of the children who tested positive for the gastro-intestinal disease were linked to the original outbreak. The affected daycares are mandated to close, conduct thorough sanitization and cleaning, and test all children before they can return to the centers, as stated in the release.
These additional daycare sites include:
- Active Start Country Hills
- CanCare Childcare, Scenic Acres location
- CEFA Early Learning Childcare North
- MTC Daycare
- Renert Junior Kindergarten
- Calgary JCC Child Care
Regarding the sixth daycare on the list, Calgary JCC Child Care, the case connected to it involves a child who does not attend the site, making it an indirect contact, according to Dr. Joffe.
“E. coli is a highly transmissible bacteria that can be spread by food or water sources, or by hand-to-mouth contact. Some secondary transmission is common and expected in significant outbreaks such as this,” explained Dr. Joffe. At the time of the press conference, the link to Calgary JCC Child Care had not yet been confirmed by Alberta Health Services, but the facility had already been closed.
Vik Academy, which was one of the original 11 closures, has also been shut down again as a precautionary measure while awaiting test results, revealed Dr. Joffe on Friday.
Premier Danielle Smith addressed the situation during QR Calgary’s Your Province, Your Premier on Saturday morning. She emphasized the need for parents involved in the initial outbreak to be cautious not to inadvertently cause secondary infections. Smith advised parents to ensure that their children do not interact with other kids until they are confirmed clear of E. coli. She also expressed her belief that a mandatory food safety course, similar to ProServe, should be required for all individuals involved in food preparation. According to Smith, current regulations only mandate at least one person in the kitchen to have a food safety course, but she suggests that everyone involved in food preparation should have proper training, including knowledge of food cooking temperatures, safe transportation, and the prevention of cross-contamination.
Smith stated, “But make no mistake, there will be new regulations coming.”
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