A two-year-old Canadian boy and three-year-old Japanese girl died recently after becoming ill with E. coli infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome. The source of each child’s illness is being investigated by public health officials.
The Canadian child became ill in June, and died just days after being hospitalized. He was not part of an outbreak, and investigators are working to determine whether his illness can be associated with any other illnesses across Canada.
The Japanese child became ill at the end of July, and also died just days after her hospitalization. Health officials have linked the girl’s illness to a cluster of E. coli infections associated with the day care facility she attended, but have not yet announced whether the outbreak is foodborne or is from some other source.
Officials said they suspect all five were fed the same food at the school, but they are also investigating whether the source of infection was from outside the school.
Two children are still being treated at a hospital in the city for diarrhea and sore tummies.