Provincial health officials have recorded more than 310 cases of E.coli O157:H7 infection among children attending day care centers in Calgary, Alberta.  Of these cases, forty-seven were hospitalized with twenty-one patients demonstrating hemolytic uremic syndrome and about 10 receiving specialized care. There have been 18 secondary cases identified.

The specific food responsible for the outbreak has yet to be identified. All eleven of the day care centers used a common kitchen.  Health authorities reviewed the facility and recorded violations including deviations from acceptable cleanliness, cockroach infestation and failure to refrigerate foods in transit.

After thorough decontamination, all day care centers will be reopened but hygiene practices will be subject to monitoring by the Provincial Health Department.  Staff and attendees will be screened to determine that they are not carriers of the pathogen before returning to their individual day care centers.