FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mary G. McIntyre, M.D., M.P.H., (334) 206-5325
The Alabama Department of Public Health has determined that SunnySide Child Care Center has complied with all necessary training and operational requirements. As a result of the compliance by the center, the emergency closure order for the kitchen has been lifted. During an investigation of an outbreak, the child care center staff were very cooperative with Public
Health staff. The Montgomery County Environmental Staff will continue to closely monitor food handling operations.
The day care centers were closed by Public Health so that an investigation could be conducted after reports of a widespread illness causing 86 children attending the two day care centers to be seen at three Montgomery hospitals in association with a potential outbreak. The children had symptoms of lethargy, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps. Thirty children were hospitalized.
During the investigation, public health staff inspected the centers in Montgomery and collected clinical and environmental samples that were processed at the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories and conducted a detailed questionnaire to help determine the cause of the outbreak.
Clinical samples were all negative for Norovirus and are being tested for other enteric pathogens such as Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli. Additional laboratory test results are pending.
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6/26/15