FINLEY, WA - Three children sickened by a school lunch of hamburger tacos have been hospitalized with E. coli, and more than a dozen others are being evaluated to see if they have been infected with the bacteria.
Since the tacos were served at an elementary school in southeastern Washington on Oct. 6, the three children, ages 5 to 11, have been confirmed with E. coli poisoning and were in stable condition.
Fifteen other children and two adults were being checked Friday to determine if they have been infected by the bacteria. Some had bloody diarrhea that often characterizes a strain of E. coli that can lead to kidney failure and, in some cases, death.
Health officials believe tainted meat probably caused the illnesses.
“The most common thing was that lunch meal.” said Dr. Larry Jecha of the Benton-Franklin Health Department. “We're going to look at everything, but that keeps popping up the biggest.”
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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