Feltham Hill Nursery and Infant School shut after two pupils diagnosed with E coli

3:10pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010 in News By Paul Teed

Closed: Feltham Hill Nursery and Infant School Closed: Feltham Hill Nursery and Infant School

A primary school has been closed after two children were diagnosed with the E coli infection.

Feltham Hill Nursery and Infant School, in Bedfont Road, Feltham, shut its doors to all 385 pupils today.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said other children and family had reported suffering from diarrhoea, but it was too early to say whether it was caused by the same bug.

Parents of the school’s pupils, aged between three and seven years old, have been urged to wash their hands thoroughly and ensure that they prepare and cook food correctly.

Dr Brian McCloskey, London regional director for the HPA, said: “The decision to close the school is a precaution while the investigation is being carried out. The local health protection unit is working closely with the school and parents have been informed of the position.

“E coli is an infectious disease and cases can occur as a result of transmission between people who have close contact with one another. The symptoms include quite severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea which may have blood in it.”

He added: “Personal hygiene is very important in preventing spread of E coli O157 infection. It is important that people remember to wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet, handling raw meat, before meals and after contact with animals.”

The HPA said the E coli infection passes within seven days without treatment, but can be more serious.

Diarrhoea may contain blood, and occasionally serious kidney and blood complications can occur.

Parents should contact their GP immediately if they are concerned their child has symptoms of the bug.

The HPA said it was continuing its investigation.

For more information call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

• Does your child go to the school? Let us know by emailing pteed@london.newsquest.co.uk, phone the newsdesk on 020 8744 4273 or leave a comment below.

Comments(6)

lisabrum says...
10:52am Sun 7 Feb 10

I am disgusted wth the junuior school. I have 2 children that attend Feltham Hill Infants and a daughter in Feltham Hill Junior school. They are on same site and are only seperated by a field yet juniors is open as normal!
IF my 2 youngest children are potential carriers of e coli then surely my eldest daughter could get it from them at home and take it back to school? My eldest daughter goes swimming on a Wednesday and if she is carring it could spread it further as could other siblings who have brots or sisters in infants!
Plus as my partner works I have to take my younger children with me to pick my eldest from juniors. (Many parents in same boat) I have no choice, because if I kept my eldest off I could get into trouble with the authority and could be fined up to £1000!
There is a meeting to be held on Monday regarding this ecoli outbreak at 6pm in the junior school hall! We will see if they have the answers us parents are wanting!

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Stookie says...
8:30pm Sun 7 Feb 10

I have two children in Feltham Hill Juniors, and one child in Feltham Hill Infants. My youngest child cannot return to school until she has had two negative tests for Ecoli. The scenario exists that my eldest children could contract Ecoli at Juniors bring it back to the home, pass it on to my youngest child and return the illness back to Infants. It is possible a be asymptomatic. These schools are very close and have strong ties. It is ludicrous to keep one open and close the other. I would be interested to know that if there were no league tables for attendance whether the situation would be vastly different.

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lisabrum says...
11:14am Mon 8 Feb 10

Well said Stookie, I think now is the time we as parents need to stand together and voice our opinions about this fiasco! It is an absolute joke. In my personal opinion even if there are no grounds to close the Junior school, then the children who attend who have siblings off due to the e coli outreak at the Infants should not attend school to prevent the spread of this bug! Once the infant children are cleared of having this infection then and only then should their older siblings return to school. The meeting is tonight(6pm in the junior school hall entrance via pedestrian entrance) and I pray there will be a strong presence of fellow parents who feel as strongly as I do!

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Chell Hales says...
12:43pm Mon 8 Feb 10

very good idea Lisa. Maybe the siblings of any child that has not had a negative result of the test should not attend juniors, so we can keep the chances of the disease spreading. this is a very nasy disease and the last thing we want is the juniors going down the same path as the infants. All that seperates the two schools is a field. Plenty of children from infants attend the premises if the juniors and vis versa. If the tested children are told to stay away from other children to prevent spreading of this disease, then what makes it any different to there siblings that attend juniors, who then go back to school and possibly pass on the germs there...it doesn't make sense to close one school and not the ajoining school.

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sofia razaq says...
5:48am Tue 9 Feb 10

"This is all too worriying now" !!! I am a mother of 3 children 2 attend the infants and 1 at the juniors. I was present at the meeting yesterday evening and was very alarmed to hear that there had been more cases reported, as far as I was concerned it was only "two" surely we should have been informed more sooner. My son who is in the juniors has continued to go to school as normal but now my younger child who is from the reception year has shown possible signs of the virus. What the hec am i meant to do????, his attendance this year hasnt been so good. Will this be an authorised abscence, i dont see why not!!!! I feel that it is maybe a little too late from him to refrain from the junior school now as he could've potentially be a carrier with no signs and could've already passed it on.

I just want to say well done to the parents of Feltham Hill Infants I felt that some very interesting points were made.
It is just misfortunate that this outbreak has happened at our "brilliant" school, it couldv'e been any in the uk. at least when it does re-open its doors we as parents can be certain that our children will be going back to a super clean environment!!!! HOPE ALL AFFECTED ARE WELL AGAIN SOON!!!!

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lisabrum says...
1:03pm Wed 10 Feb 10

We were advised that if younger siblings were to display symtoms then the older siblings were not to attend school and that their absence will be authorised.
Myself and other parents are meeting outside school gates on Thursday 11th Feb at 11am with journalist and photographer. The Infant school are aware we are doing this and are pleased that we are happy with their hard work and that are continuing to work hard to get the school re-opened. Any parents who wish to voice their opinion are more than welcome. May I please stress the Infant school has done EVERYTHING in its power to minimise this risk but are governed by the Health Protection agency and follow their advice. It is not the school/s we have a problem with, it is the Health professionals playing with our children's health we are not happy with.
I think we were all disgusted at the meeting Sophia.

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