The Arizona Republic reports:
Arizona health officials were investigating whether an E. coli outbreak that has
hospitalized multiple children was tied to the State Fair.
Maricopa County health officials confirmed they were trying to trace the source of the virulent outbreak, which parents and advocates said might have originated at the fair’s petting zoo.
“I can confirm that it is under investigation,” Jeanene Fowler, Maricopa County Health executive director, said of the fair, which ran for a month in Phoenix, ending in late October.
The number of E. coli cases was unknown. But at least eight children were hospitalized with the infection, according to the mother of a 16-year-old who spent four days at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in early November.
The Arizona State Fair in Phoenix ran from Sept. 19 to Oct. 26. Fair spokesperson Brianda Martinez did not respond to multiple interview requests by phone and email. She did not answer questions about the outbreak.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said it saw a “twofold increase” of E. coli cases statewide in October. The department did not specify where the cases were reported or how many people reported getting sick.
“There has also been an increase in hospitalizations involving hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication linked to this infection,” DHS media director JP Martin said ina Nov. 18 email. “This increase in E. coli is currently under investigation by local and state public health.”
Martin did not address questions about the fair or about the reports from parents whose children were hospitalized.