You can click here now if you want a free case evaluation with a lawyer on our Bad Bug Law Team.Our lawyers are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157 linked to the Milk Makers Fest, held at the Northwest Fairgrounds in Lynden, Washington, on April 21 through 23, 2015. This is an extremely dangerous pathogen that produces Shiga toxins that poison the body.
Eight children have been hospitalized, some of whom developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication that causes kidney failure and brain damage. About 40% of children with HUS need at least some renal replacement therapy in the form of hemodialysis.
This is a large outbreak and it is important that the source be found as soon as possible. This outbreak could have been caused by animal contact, water or food at the Milk Makers Fest. Looking at the facts gathered so far, it looks like it was probably animal contact. Our law firm has handled cases involving infected cows, goats and llamas.
To date there are 23 confirmed cases and 22 probable cases. Confirmed cases include children with presumptive-positive and confirmed-positive lab results. This means E. coli O157 was found in their stool samples. Probable cases are children who had clinical symptoms and attended the event, but lab results are not available yet or tests were not done.
Over 1000 elementary school children from all of the school districts in Whatcom County attended the event. Schools affected may include any of the following:
Whatcom county has nine districts: Bellingham, Blaine, Concrete, Ferndale, Lynden, Meridian, Nooksack Valley, Mount Baker and Sedro Woolley. Bellingham School District officials confirmed that first-graders attended the Milk Makers Fest from the following elementary schools: Parkview, Birchwood, Sunnyland and Cordata. The Blaine School District has publicly confirmed that one of the children sickened in the outbreak attends Blaine Primary School.