WOOD COUNTY, Ohio — The Wood County Health Department is looking into a possible E. coli outbreak, with 16 cases over the past week.
Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison said the county has seen 27 cases of E. coli over the last five and half years, not including the 16 in the past week.
He said six of the 16 patients between the ages of 21 and 60 years old are in the hospital.
The ODH is currently running tests on the cases to determine if they are linked. WCHD expects the results back next week.
The Wood County Fair happened two weeks before the cases appeared, but he said there is not enough information to assume the fair is to blame.
“At this early stage, we don’t have reason to believe the fair has been implicated,” Robison said. “What we’re looking for is to understand where the information leads us, and that will allow us to come up with what the next steps will be.”
E. coli symptoms can show up 10 days after exposure, Robison emphasized. He said someone should think of all the places they have eaten at during that time and not just the last place before they developed symptoms.
Robison said 1% of cases require severe medical intervention.
He said there are many ways to prevent the spread of the disease:
- Wash hands on a regular basis
- Don't touch or prepare food if feeling sick
- Use separate bathrooms if possible, or disinfect the bathroom after each use
- Monitor oneself for any symptoms
To report symptoms or illness to WCHD, complete their foodborne complaint survey.