Child hospitalized in northern Ont. E. coli outbreak

A child is in hospital and at risk of kidney damage, North Bay's medical officer of health said Thursday in updating the number of E. coli cases linked tocity'srestaurant outbreak.

"Although we can reveal few details to avoid identifying anyone, there is one child who is very ill and in hospital," said Dr. Catherine Whiting.

"This person meets the criteria for complications from an E. coli infection, specifically hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS."

HUSis a life-threatening condition that is treated in hospital intensive-care units. It kills three to five per cent of those afflicted.

Some people who recover mayhave to contend with lifelong complications that can include blindness, paralysis and kidney failure.

There are now 207 peoplereporting symptoms, including 39 laboratory confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7, the health unit said. The total includes all cases across Ontario and one in Quebec.

The jump in cases, up from 190 on Wednesday, is due to people who are self-reporting their symptoms. More are expected to be called in, Whiting said.

Secondary cases occur whena person contracts E. coli from someone else who may have eaten at a Harvey's restaurant on Algonquin Avenue in North Bay, the focus of the outbreak.

Someone showing symptoms of the infection can spread it through hand to mouth contact if handwashing isn't doneproperly after going to the washroom.

After symptoms subside, usually in seven to 10 days, an adult can still the spread the bacteria for up to one week, and children can spread it for up to three weeks, the health unit said on its website.

Health officials shut down the restaurant on Oct. 12.

Since then, food samples have tested negative for the E. coli strain, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency'sinvestigation has turned to testing food handlers.