Musselburgh Private Nursery closed due to sickness bug

Three of the Pear Tree group of nurseries in Haddington were closed last week after close to 30 cases of E.coli were linked to Pear Tree Nursery Church Street.

Its two sister nurseries in the town - Pear Tree Nursery Meadowpark and Pear Tree Nursery West Road - were then closed as a precautionary measure.

Health bosses have now confirmed that a "small number of new cases of E.coli" have been identified.

Ongoing testing and sampling have, they say, revealed a small cluster of cases of the infection linked to Pear Tree Nursery Meadowpark, Haddington.

The total number of people affected now stands in excess of 30.

A third nursery in Haddington – Pear Tree Nursery West Road – remains closed as a precaution following reports of a sickness bug to allow further sampling and testing to be carried out and results are expected soon.

Meanwhile, Musselburgh Private Nursery, on Musselburgh's Bridge Street, has also been closed after separate reports of a gastrointestinal bug.

Health chiefs say this is unlikely to be linked to the Haddington Church Street nursery cluster, but the investigation team has asked for it to remain closed as a precaution.

READ MORE: Nurseries closed following E.coli outbreak

NHS Lothian joined forces with local and national partner agencies at the beginning of August to form a multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT) to investigate the cluster of cases at Pear Tree Nursery Church Street.

Investigations so far have not yet revealed a specific source and testing is ongoing to identify the strain of the infection and any links.

All parents and carers of children who attend closed nurseries have been notified, say NHS Lothian, and asked to provide samples as quickly as possible to establish the cause of their symptoms.

Dr Richard Othieno, chair of the Incident Management Team and public health consultant, NHS Lothian, said: “This is a very complex situation and we need to take a very cautious approach.

“We have now identified a small number of new cases of E.coli in Pear Tree Nursery Meadowpark after extensive sampling and testing.

“Pear Street Nursery West Road remains closed and Musselburgh Bridge Street nursery has now also closed as a precaution.

"We need families to work with us to ensure that they do not mix with other children and adults if they are asked not to do so by our Health Protection Team.

“I know this is really difficult, especially for families who are eager to return to work and school, but it is essential.

“We would urge anyone who has not yet handed in a sample to do so as soon as possible to help identify what has caused their symptoms and hopefully rule out any links with E.coli."

Pear Tree Nursery Church Street, Haddington

And he added: "We have provided guidelines for parents and carers and explained that it is vital for siblings or those children leaving nursery, taking up a new nursery place and starting school for the first time to remain at home until their exclusion period is complete if they have been in contact with someone with E-coli or any other vomiting bug.

“NHS Lothian’s health protection team is also working with East Lothian Council’s education service to provide headteachers with those same details to help prevent the spread of infection.

“This outbreak reinforces the importance of washing hands regularly, particularly before eating or preparing food, and after going to the toilet.”

E. coli is a bacterial infection that causes illness. The symptoms range from mild loose stools to severe bloody diarrhoea. The most serious complications can lead to blood poisoning and kidney failure.

There is no specific treatment for the infection and most people who are infected will get better without medical treatment.

However, those who have symptoms, or are concerned, are advised to contact their GP or NHS 24 on telephone number 111.