Playgroup will remain closed until all clear

Health chiefs continuing investigation into E coli 0157 outbreak

Health chiefs say no decision has been made on the re-opening of a playgroup at the centre of an E coli outbreak investigation.

It is now more than two weeks since the Peter Pan Playgroup in Carnoustie voluntarily shut its doors in the wake of a number of local youngsters showing symptoms of the potentially deadly E coli O157 infection.

In the most serious case, a three-yearold girl was transferred to Glasgow for specialist care.

Her current condition is unknown, but the outbreak also involved what NHS Tayside termed a “small number” of confirmed and suspected cases being treated in part of Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells in Dundee.

It also triggered the reconvening of the national multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT), set up earlier this year following an outbreak of the deadly strain, which led to the tragic death of a three-year-old girl and more than 20 other people being infected.

The outbreak was subsequently linked to a cheese-maker in South Lanarkshire and earlier this month Food Standards Scotland issued a food alert banning all of the company’s products.

A possible link to the national outbreak has formed part of the Angus investigation.

However, few details about the possible source of infection and the numbers of children involved have been released by NHS Tayside.

The health authority had come under fire from parents for a lack of information about the extent of the infection in the early stages of the outbreak, but set up a dedicated helpline which remained in operation until Friday before being stepped down due to the low number of calls received.

Carlogie Primary School was also hit by a reduced roll last week due to the suspected and confirmed cases, as well as some parents keeping their children off school, despite assurances that the risk of infection was very low.

At one point more than 70 youngsters were absent from the 346-pupil primary.

The Peter Pan playgroup based in the Newton Hall has been at the centre of the investigation since the first cases emerged and a number of youngsters are known to have attended the busy and popular group.

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “Once there is no longer a risk of infection, the dedicated Incident Management Team, which includes representatives from NHS Tayside and Angus Council, will make a recommendation about the playgroup re-opening.

“The IMT are in daily contact with the playgroup manager.” gbrown@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Paul Reid. The Peter Pan Playgroup, based at Newton Hall, to the rear of Newton of Panbride Church remains closed.