Media Release
E-Coli School Closure 17.28 hours, Thurs 6 October
Update by the Outbreak Control Team (Officers of the Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly and Bridgend Local Authorities, the Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Health Board, the Food Standards Agency and the National Public Health Service of Wales)
Glenboi School
As a precautionary measure Glenboi Primary School in Rhondda Cynon Taf has been closed.
The decision, taken on the advice of public health clinicians, follows the discovery of bloody diarrhoea in the boys’ toilets this afternoon. Normally any child with bloody diarrhoea of infectious origin is excluded from school and only returns on the advice of an Environmental Health Officer, However, despite staff interviews with all children individually the boy with the diarrhoea could not be identified so the school is being closed to prevent any opportunity for cross infection.
Parents are being contacted directly to explain the decision.
Officers of the Outbreak Control Team are working to establish who at the school has the bloody diarrhoea.
Naturally this decision may cause concern. However, it has been taken because the circumstances in Glenboi are exceptional. The Outbreak Control Team reviews every case and has consistently implemented any action required to ensure the safety of the children. In this instance the risk of an unknown ill child in the school is considered sufficient to justify closure.
The unanimous decision taken at the beginning of the outbreak to keep the schools open was based on the knowledge that all opportunities to spread infection had been removed. This decision has been kept under review and the Outbreak Control Team has endorsed the decision unanimously on each occasion.
In the outbreak so far there has not been a single case of a E coli infection passed on from person to person in a school.
The decision taken in relation to Glenboi does not affect the decision to keep other schools open because the measures taken to stop infection in other schools are still securely in place.
There are 97 pupils attending Glenboi Primary School, aged 3-11.
Communications
This has been a difficult week for parents so the Outbreak Control Team has re-opened the helpline to provide advice and information to parents. The Help Line number is 02920 402520. It is open 9am – 5pm.
The Outbreak Control Team consists of the following organisations:
- Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
- Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
- Bridgend County Borough Council
- Caerphilly County Borough Council
- National Public Health Service for Wales
- Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Health Board
- Food Standards Agency
ENDS
For further information, please contact Chris Lines on 07866 634077