The E. coli outbreak associated with Galena Elementary School in Floyds Knobs, Indiana is particularly virulent. E. coli O157:H7 is always dangerous, but in this outbreak most of the children who contracted an E. coli infection then developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States and the primary cause of death and prolonged illness in children with E. coli. Usually about 15% of the E. coli cases in an outbreak develop into HUS.
As many as 7 of the 10 people with E. coli infections associated with Galena Elementary School may have developed HUS. A spokesman for Kosair Children’s Hospital told the Courier-Journal that “seven children with the bacterial infection were being treated for kidney failure at Kosair Children’s Hospital.”
These little children are fighting for their lives and enduring incomprehensible pain.
According to the Courier-Journal story, some parents are questioning Galena Elementary School’s decision to keep the school open after they became aware of the E. coli risk to students:
Melissa Miller, president of the Galena PTO and the parent of a student there, said she and other parents continue to question the decision to keep the school open and believe closing it for a time would have been for the best once officials knew they had an E. coli situation.
. . . A temporary closing would have allowed investigators to make sure there were no more cases and would have given them more time in the building without students present, she said.
If you would like to speak with an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online contact form
