The Department of Health and Community Services advises that there has been a recent increase in unrelated cases of E. coli in the province over the past three months. Public Health officials within the department, as well as the regional health authorities, are working with Digital Government and Service NL to investigate.

E.coli is spread primarily through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Person-to-person transmission can also occur. Careful food preparation techniques and hand washing are important in the prevention of E. coli. Most foodborne illness can be avoided by following these simple food safety tips:

• CLEAN: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, and wash counters, utensils, cutting boards, and other surfaces after they come into contact with raw meat.
• COOK: Cook all meats, poultry, and eggs to proper internal temperatures; keep all hot foods at 60°C (140° F) or more; and use a kitchen thermometer to check cooking and storage temperatures.
• CHILL: Chill all leftovers promptly to keep them out of room temperature; refrigerate all perishable foods at 4°C (40°F) or less; and thaw frozen foods in a refrigerator, cold water, or a microwave oven, not at room temperature.
• SEPARATE: Use separate cutting boards for raw meats, and raw fruits and vegetables; and store raw meats on lower refrigerator shelves, to prevent contamination caused by dripping.

Anyone with severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain should seek medical attention.

Food handlers, health care workers, daycare workers and children attending daycares with these symptoms, should remain at home until the symptoms are resolved and they are cleared by a health care professional.

More information on food safety can be found online.

– 30 –

Media contact
Lesley Clarke
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 699-2910
lesleyclarke@gov.nl.ca