| E. coli outbreak hits Cape Girardeau County |
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By Brooke Gipson/Randolph County Health Department Moberly Monitor-Index Tue May 11, 2010 Moberly, Mo. - At least 14 people have fallen ill after drinking water at a sports complex in Cape Girardeau County. All the cases have been linked to E. coli in water at Class Act Sports Complex, 2336 County Road 301, which is just outside the city of Jackson. Officials with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center tested water from a drinking fountain and a faucet within the facility and confirmed the presence of E. coli in both samples. The sports complex, which is served by a private well, shut off its water last Thursday at the urging of local health officials. Since April 28, at least 14 people have reported becoming ill after drinking water at the facility. Testing confirmed that five of those people tested for the bacteria were suffering from exposure to E. coli and nine others are considered probable. Four people have been hospitalized. The Department of Health and Senior Services is working with local health officials to determine the source of the contamination. E. coli is a strain of the bacteria that is estimated to cause infections in 70,000 people in the U.S. each year, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inquiries regarding this outbreak should be directed to the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center at 573-335-7846. People who have become ill after drinking water at the Class Act Sports Complex are asked to contact health officials at the same number. |
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