Four more children who attended an unlicensed Aurora home day-care facility have tested positive for E. coli, bringing to six the number of cases, health officials said Tuesday.
A 3-year-old Aurora boy, one of 21 children cared for at the facility in the past six weeks, died Sept. 19 from complications linked to an aggressive type of E. coli bacteria.
The other children infected with the bacteria are reported to be doing well and none has been hospitalized, the Tri-County Health Department said in a news release. The children range in age from infancy to 3 years old.
“These recent cases confirm that in all likelihood, the illness was transmitted within this day-care setting,” Dr. Richard L. Vogt, Tri-County executive director, said in a statement.
During a visit to the facility last week, Vogt said several deficiencies in diapering and food-handling were found.
Vogt did not specify what the deficiencies were but said, “These are general problems where things were not done as well as they could be.”
Recent E. coli outbreaks have been linked to undercooked hamburger contaminated with cattle feces and with contaminated vegetables and fruits. The bacteria also can be passed from person to person, especially at child-care facilities when hands are not washed after diapering and before preparing food.
The Colorado Department of Human Services has ordered the child-care operator to close and is monitoring to see that she complies. State law requires a license for facilities that care for two or more unrelated children.
