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State boosts safety of fair’s petting zoo

Andrea Weigl of the News Observer reports that Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s fiasco, where an E. coli outbreak left more than 100 people, mainly children, sick after visiting the North Carolina State Fair’s petting zoo.
As a result, there are some changes to keep fairgoers healthy, including:
• People will be separated from baby goats, lambs and other animals by a fence.
• Warning signs will be posted.
• As many as six hand-washing stations will be positioned near the petting zoo and elsewhere at the fairgrounds.
• An additional 60 restrooms are going to be available at the fairgrounds this year, including some strategically set up across from the petting zoo.
• These items should not be brought into the petting zoo: strollers, pacifiers, sippy cups, baby bottles, food, drinks and tobacco products.
Troxler added that “Proper hand-washing with the soap, water and paper towels, we believe, is the key.”

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