University takes precautions and shuts down campus Pita Pit
Public health officials have confirmed four University of Guelph students are suffering from an infection caused by E. coli 0157.
Public health officials are in the preliminary stages of their investigation and presently know of only one commonality among the four students; they all consumed food at the University’s Pita Pit.
The university, as a voluntary precaution, has shut down the Pita Pit pending the outcome of the public health investigation.
The University of Guelph had an incident of E. coli 0157:H7 contamination slightly over three months ago. There were eight confirmed cases during that outbreak.
Last November, the University of Western Ontario suffered an outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium that resulted in 90 laboratory-confirmed cases and many suspected cases. The outbreak was traced to contamination of the food preparation area of the University’s Pita Pit.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit issued a 118 page report (PDF) on the UWO outbreak in June.
The university is extending the hours of its student health services centre and keeping it open during the weekend to provide services to students in residence and those without family doctors living off-campus. The university is encouraging students with symptoms to visit the health centre or to contact the public health unit.