Another child treated for E.coli

Twins Todd [left] and Aaron Furnell are in a stable condition in hospital

Another child is being treated in hospital following an outbreak of E.coli at a farm in Surrey.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said there were now 13 youngsters being treated, of which four were seriously ill and six were in a stable condition.

Three are improving in hospital, with the total number of cases of E.coli O157 linked to Godstone Farm now at 37.

The farm, near Redhill, was closed on Saturday - although the first E.coli case was reported on 27 August.

When Aaron isn't asleep, he seems to be a little more alert, but Todd is struggling a bit Tracy Mock, mother

The HPA has said it expects more cases to come to light because of the bug's long incubation period.

Among those children in hospital are two year-old twins, Aaron and Todd Furnell, from Paddock Wood, in Kent.

They were admitted to hospital with acute kidney failure and are both undergoing dialysis.

Their five-year-old sister was also taken ill, but has since recovered.

Their mother, Tracy Mock, 39, is among parents who are now calling on health officials to explain why they were able to still visit the farm after the first case of E.coli was notified to officials.

'Control measures'

Speaking on Tuesday, she said the boys remained in a stable condition at St Thomas's Hospital in London.

"They're much the same, but now they are eating a little bit, rather than having it done for them through a feeding tube.

"When Aaron isn't asleep, he seems to be a little more alert, but Todd is struggling a bit.

"He's had one blood transfusion already, and is having another one today.

"I'm confident that the boys are in the best place," she said.

The Health Protection Agency said the outbreak began on 8 August, but it did not receive details of the first case until 27 August.

Experts have described it as one of the UK's largest outbreaks of E.coli.

The farm, which is popular with families and attracts 2,000 visitors a day at peak times, said suitable control measures were in place and it would not reopen until it had got to the root of the problem.

Investigators trying to pinpoint the cause of the outbreak have been conducting tests in and around animal pens in an attempt to identify the source of the bug.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version