MONROE - Green County health officials have received no further reports of confirmed cases of E. coli O157 since a week ago and are hoping they are seeing the end of the outbreak, but seven children have yet to regain access to their classrooms.
Children who tested positive for the bacteria infection during a second outbreak of the illness in Green County that began Oct. 9 must have two consecutive negative stool samples before being allowed back into school. Since that date, there have been nine confirmed cases of E. coli 0157.
The children are still shedding the bacteria 30 days after their tests were confirmed positive by state labs.
"It puts a hardship on the families," said RoAnn Warden, director of the Green County Health Department.
But school officials and parents have been cooperative in following the procedures outlined for the school district, she said.
"It got tough for them sometimes throughout the process to follow procedures when pressures (from the public) were really intense," Warden said.
Because the community followed procedures, Warden said, the recent outbreak, which investigation "strongly suggests" was spread by person-to-person contact, is perhaps near its end.
A previous outbreak of nine confirmed cases between July and September this year resulted in the death of one child, as a result of complications related to the bacterial infection. The origin of the infection has not been found.
"It was an experience we didn't want to have," said Julio Rodriguez, chairman of the Green County Health Committee. But the experience tested the county's response system, and "we are prepared," he added.
At a meeting of the committee Thursday, Mary Young, director of the Southern Region Division of Public health, commended committee members and Warden on their handling of the recent outbreaks.
"There was a lot of public pressure and people afraid for their children," she said. "But RoAnn handled it beautifully, coordinating the effort with the state."
The county's system, according to Warden, is joint cooperation between officials at the local health department, school district, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. Warden said a phone conference with the national Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga. was also part of the actions taken by local officials.
Stefan Boerboom, a state public health inspector covering Green, Iowa and part of Lafayette counties, told the county health committee that the kitchen at Abe Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, as well as drinking fountains and similar areas, passed recent health inspections. Most of the confirmed cases of E. coli found in October were from students of the school.
"Ramped up cleaning efforts" at the district's schools continues, according to Warden.
The last of the nine recent cases was found in a student of Northside School, who was connected to the household of a confirmed case found in a student at Abe Lincoln.
Parents of students in one first-grade class at Northside School were asked to complete a questionnaire about gastrointestinal illnesses last weekend.
Warden said 22 of the 23 questionnaires sent home with students have been returned.
The results of those returned showed no gastrointestinal illnesses, a pronounced symptom of the bacterial infection, during the month of October.
Children who tested positive for the bacteria infection during a second outbreak of the illness in Green County that began Oct. 9 must have two consecutive negative stool samples before being allowed back into school. Since that date, there have been nine confirmed cases of E. coli 0157.
The children are still shedding the bacteria 30 days after their tests were confirmed positive by state labs.
"It puts a hardship on the families," said RoAnn Warden, director of the Green County Health Department.
But school officials and parents have been cooperative in following the procedures outlined for the school district, she said.
"It got tough for them sometimes throughout the process to follow procedures when pressures (from the public) were really intense," Warden said.
Because the community followed procedures, Warden said, the recent outbreak, which investigation "strongly suggests" was spread by person-to-person contact, is perhaps near its end.
A previous outbreak of nine confirmed cases between July and September this year resulted in the death of one child, as a result of complications related to the bacterial infection. The origin of the infection has not been found.
"It was an experience we didn't want to have," said Julio Rodriguez, chairman of the Green County Health Committee. But the experience tested the county's response system, and "we are prepared," he added.
At a meeting of the committee Thursday, Mary Young, director of the Southern Region Division of Public health, commended committee members and Warden on their handling of the recent outbreaks.
"There was a lot of public pressure and people afraid for their children," she said. "But RoAnn handled it beautifully, coordinating the effort with the state."
The county's system, according to Warden, is joint cooperation between officials at the local health department, school district, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. Warden said a phone conference with the national Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga. was also part of the actions taken by local officials.
Stefan Boerboom, a state public health inspector covering Green, Iowa and part of Lafayette counties, told the county health committee that the kitchen at Abe Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, as well as drinking fountains and similar areas, passed recent health inspections. Most of the confirmed cases of E. coli found in October were from students of the school.
"Ramped up cleaning efforts" at the district's schools continues, according to Warden.
The last of the nine recent cases was found in a student of Northside School, who was connected to the household of a confirmed case found in a student at Abe Lincoln.
Parents of students in one first-grade class at Northside School were asked to complete a questionnaire about gastrointestinal illnesses last weekend.
Warden said 22 of the 23 questionnaires sent home with students have been returned.
The results of those returned showed no gastrointestinal illnesses, a pronounced symptom of the bacterial infection, during the month of October.