NC State Fair E. coli Outbreak Update: Most Cases in Raleigh-Durham area and Sampson County
National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is investigating the E. coli outbreak associated with the North Carolina State Fair that has sickened 27 people and hospitalized four children and one adult. Three children remain in intensive care, fighting kidney failure and other symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli poisoning that can develop in young children.
“Despite the frequency and severity of these kinds of cases, event operators and participants often fail to take precautions necessary to prevent serious illness,” said Pritzker, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a national leader in food safety law. “The safety and well-being of children who attend these events should be a top priority. The tragedy of this outbreak is magnified by the ease with which it could have been prevented.”
There are nine confirmed E. coli cases and another 18 under investigation, according to the latest information from the North Carolina Division of Public Health. The latest numbers and counties involved:
Wake - 12
Sampson - 7
Cleveland - 1
Durham - 1
Johnston - 1
Lenoir - 1
Orange - 2
Wilson – 2
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All of the E. coli victims reported attending the State Fair before becoming ill. Public health investigators are still trying to determine the exact source of the outbreak.
Victims of E. coli poisoning may require hospitalization, suffer from long lasting or permanent medical conditions, lose wages or their jobs. Recovering expenses while recovering from a foodborne illness requires the expertise of an experienced food safety lawyer like the attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. If you have legal questions about an illness associated with this outbreak, contact them for a free consultation.
