Patient count in outbreak traced to farm restaurant doubles in a week

The patient count in an outbreak traced to a farm restaurant in Canada has doubled from a week ago.

The patients are infected with E. coli and some are also infected with the parasite Entamoeba histolytica, according to Alberta Health Services. Patients ate at the Saskatoon Farm restaurant.

As of Aug. 5, there are 49 patients with E. coli infections, up from 18 reported on July 25. Three patients have required hospitalization. Twenty-nine of the patients have been identified with Entamoeba histolytica infection, a parasite that causes amoebiasis. Previously only three patients were confirmed with the parasitic infections. 

Amoebiasis can “cause gastrointestinal illness and, more rarely, severe infection of the liver, lungs, heart and brain,” even without previous symptoms indicating its presence, according to the health department.

Laboratory testing has also identified cases of norovirus and rotavirus, although “it has yet to be determined if these pathogens can be linked to this investigation,” the statement said. “Both norovirus and rotavirus are common viruses associated with gastrointestinal illness.”

Saskatoon Farm’s restaurant, bakery and “red house” remain temporarily closed, but activities on the farm continue. Guests are offered bottled beverages without access to the previous water source. To make up for the lack of an on-site restaurant, the farm has hosted a number of food trucks.

U-pick fields are open for visitors wishing to go berry picking, and the vegetable stand is available for the purchase of produce.

The farm has made a number of statements and posts reiterating the safety of its berry and vegetable crops, after repeated questions over fears of potential health effects.

“We irrigate using rain water — both collected and naturally falling — and after harvesting, all produce is rinsed with treated well water to remove any soil. This treated well water source has been tested and approved by Alberta Health Services,” Saskatoon Farm said in a social media statement.

The farm says the well water is not connected to the water source under review. That investigation is still ongoing. 

Regardless of symptoms, those who dined within the exposure window of July 1 through 18 are being asked to call Health Link at 811 for amoebiasis screening. Those with symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are urged to call immediately.

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