Public HealthTop story
The county says the Brookshire Farms E. coli outbreak is no longer a public health threat
The outbreak reached five confirmed cases and 10 suspect ones
- 5
- confirmed cases of the E. coli strain
- 3
- children placed in intensive care
- 10
- suspect cases among visitors from Oct. 16 to 26
- 3
- patients whose bacterial strains were a genetic match
Sources: San Luis Obispo Tribune, Cal Coast News
If you visited Brookshire Farms in October, here's the update. The county Public Health Department says the E. coli outbreak "is no longer an ongoing public health threat," according to a Friday news release. All five people who tested positive for the strain visited the Los Osos Valley Road farm on Oct. 17 or 18.
Strains from three of the patients were a genetic match. Ten other visitors who went between Oct. 16 and 26 developed symptoms and count as "suspect cases." Cal Coast News reported eight such cases on Oct. 30, three days after the county confirmed five cases.
- Farm samples: none tested positive for E. coli O157
- Fourth patient's test isn't finished; a fifth couldn't be run
- Symptoms typically show up three to 10 days after exposure
- Children under 10 face the highest risk of complications
The county declared the outbreak over about three weeks after the farm visits
- Oct. 17-18The five people who later tested positive visited Brookshire Farms.
- Oct. 27The county confirms five E. coli cases with a possible link to Brookshire Farms.
- Oct. 30The county investigates eight suspected cases among farm visitors.
- Nov. 6The county says the outbreak is no longer an ongoing public health threat.
Sources: San Luis Obispo Tribune, Cal Coast News
County health officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said not pinpointing a source "is not unexpected," because bacterial contamination "is often temporary and difficult to detect." Her bottom line: "We believe there is no ongoing risk to the community."
