WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Tips to help protect against E-Coli

Tips to help protect against E-Coli

By Shayla Reaves

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- WAVE 3 is continuing to track developments in an E.Coli outbreak at a southern Indiana school. According to health officials, at least six students are showing E.Coli symptoms and so far, two cases have been confirmed. It all started at Galena Elementary in Floyds Knobs. WAVE 3's Shayla Reaves investigates how parents are teaching their kids how to cut their chances of getting sick.

"I'm going to teach her how to wash her hands and I'll probably send her lunch with her the first week just to be extra cautious," said April Stewart, a parent and nurse practitioner.

Stewart is doing what she to make sure her daughter stays healthy. This is just one day after an E.Coli scare at Galena Elementary.

"She was a little alarmed. She just asked me if I thought she was going to have to go to the hospital. I said no, I don't think you're going to have to go to the hospital," Stewart said.
 
The kindergartner is just one of hundreds of students sent home with a letter on Friday. So far, two E.Coli cases have been confirmed but school officials aren't sure of the source.

"We've actually sent two extra custodians to clean the surfaces of the building where any one of the children may touch," Bill Briscoe, assistant superintendent of the New Albany-Floyd County Schools told WAVE 3 on Friday.

Briscoe also said that two extra nurses were sent to the school on Friday and they will be cleaning the school buses used by the students.

Symptoms to look for include cramps, fever and diarrhea according to Dr. Matt Zahn of Louisville Metro Health and Wellness.

"For people who notice if you have kids with severe or bloody diarrhea or they're more ill than you expect you'll want to call a doctor about it," says Zahn.

So far, Stewart hasn't seen these symptoms in her daughter.

"We're just going to watch her real closely and see if she has any symptoms and contact our pediatrician if she does," says Stewart.

Washing hands is one way to keep E.Coli from spreading.

"Hygiene is just a challenge in school settings and so from a public health side and a public school side, we're always emphasizing wash your hands as much as you can to prevent passage of germs," said Zahn.

Zahn also says if you've been made aware that your more at risk for any sort of intestinal problems, you should make sure to see a doctor if you're showing any symptoms. He says at this point, this outbreak is contained to Floyd County and no cases have been identified in Louisville.

The outbreak started with students at Galena Elementary, but parents at least two other Floyd County schools have also been put on alert. Those schools are Floyd Central High and Highland Hills Middle.

If you have questions about E.Coli and its effects, Just click on the highlighted link: E.Coli Info.

Online Reporter: Shayla Reaves

Online Producer: Charles Gazaway