Sick from E. coli?
Call (612) 337-6126
Elliot Olsen has regained millions of dollars for people harmed by an E. coli illness. If you or a family member live in Hastings and became ill from E. coli, you might have cause to file a lawsuit. Please call Elliot at (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation, or complete the following:
People in Hastings, MN, are under a “boil water” advisory after E. coli was detected in the city’s public water system.
While the bacteria was “isolated to one section” of the water system, a large portion of the city was told to boil its water or “use a safe alternative source” such as bottled water. The areas being affected by the advisory are within the red boundary below:
Hastings: until further notice
“Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice,” reads the alert from the city. The alert went on to say that “boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in water.”
Hastings city authorities were apparently flooded with emergency calls after the advisory was issued. An update issued Saturday night asked residents to refrain from calling 911 “unless you have an actual medical or safety emergency!”
URGENT NEWS ALERT: The City of Hastings has issued a boil water advisory for a portion of our public water system. Please click for full details and map of affected area. Please read and share! #HastingsMN https://t.co/sQbfalOgxq
— City of Hastings, MN (@CityHastingsMN) September 22, 2018
Hastings: chlorination done
It’s unclear how E. coli got into the Hastings water system, but the city’s advisory points out that E. coli bacteria can come from “human or animal wastes.”
The city said it treated the contaminated section with chlorine over the weekend, and that it expects the problem to be resolved “within 3-5 days.”
Hastings: E. coli information
E. coli bacteria are found normally in the intestines of all mammals – yes, that includes humans – and most strains are benign. Some strains can cause serious illness, however, primarily by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the potentially dangerous pathogen.
Anyone can become infected by E. coli, but people with the highest risk of developing a severe type of kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) are young children, senior citizens, and anyone with a compromised immune system.
E. coli symptoms
The symptoms of an E. coli infection vary from person to person, but generally include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- severe abdominal cramps
- diarrhea, which can become bloody
- high fever
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- decreased urination.
The time between ingesting E. coli bacteria and feeling sick is called the “incubation period.” The incubation period for E. coli is usually three to four days after the exposure, but can be as short as one day or as long as 10 days.
Symptoms often begin slowly, usually with mild abdominal pain or non-bloody diarrhea that worsens over several days.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome
About 5 to 10 percent of people diagnosed with an E. coli infection develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. If HUS develops, it usually occurs about a week after the first symptoms, when diarrhea is improving.
Clues that someone is developing HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids.
HUS damages red blood cells, which can clog the kidney’s filtering system and result in kidney failure. In severe cases, a kidney transplant might be necessary to avoid death.
Most people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent damage or die. Anyone who has developed HUS should be hospitalized.
Hastings: E. coli in the news
E. coli made headlines last week when it was announced that contaminated ground beef was the probable source of a nationwide E. coli outbreak in which one person died and 17 others were sickened, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service was notified of an investigation of E. coli illnesses on Aug. 16. The FSIS, CDC, and numerous state health departments determined that ground beef was the probable cause, and an epidemiological investigation identified 17 illnesses and one death with onset dates ranging from July 5 to July 25.
The outbreak prompted Cargill Meat Solutions of Fort Morgan, CO, to issue a recall of more than 132,000 pounds of ground beef products.
