01/07/2021 - Permalink

News from our partners: Cases of E.coli linked to Acton Scott historic working farm

Related topics: Health / Leisure, culture and heritage / Partner organisations

News from our partners Public Health England

Members of the Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands Health Protection Team have been working closely with environmental health colleagues from Shropshire Council, following two confirmed cases of E. coli O157 linked to Acton Scott Historic Working Farm near Craven Arms, which is managed by the council.

The farm temporarily closed on Thursday 24 June 2021, to work with public health partners to take further precautionary measures to reduce risk of visitors catching the infection. The new measures include providing more visitor handwashing facilities and improving safety information about feeding and touching animals. 

Dr Adrian Phillips, consultant with PHE West Midlands Health Protection Team, said:

“The farm has multiple hand sanitiser points across the site to help protect from coronavirus; however, if people have been touching things which could be infected with E. coli, including touching farm animals, handwashing with warm water and soap is necessary to prevent stomach bugs.

“During spring and summer, especially over holiday periods, there is generally an increase in gastro-intestinal infections which are often associated with a range of activities including farm or park visits, where infections can be picked up by handling or stroking animals. Good hand hygiene for all, and supervised hand hygiene for small children, is essential to minimise the risk of developing a stomach bug. 

“E. coli O157 is a relatively rare infection that causes a spectrum of illness ranging from mild through to severe bloody diarrhoea, mostly without fever. Sometimes the infection can cause a condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) which affects the kidneys and can be very serious. Young children and elderly people are more prone to development of complications associated with E. coli O157.”

Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for leisure said:

“People love to see and experience what life on a Victorian farm with livestock would have been like. However, once we were informed of a possible E. coli link, we felt it was important to temporarily close the farm.

“We are using this time to explore the work that is needed to meet the requirements to keep everyone safe. Work will include things like more handwashing facilities, extra training for staff and better signage, along with other alterations to how the farm operates.

“Until such time as measures can be put in place the farm will remain closed.”

Anyone who has tickets booked for the attraction will be contacted by the council’s Museum Service and refunded in full. Due to the pandemic, all visits to the farm have had to be booked online.

PHE advice to avoid catching stomach bugs includes:

While enjoying the countryside

  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet or touching animals and before preparing food or eating.
  • Keep hot food hot and cold food cold – don’t leave them standing around.
  • Only drink safe and properly treated water. If you’re not sure use boiled or bottled water.

During and after farm visits:

  • Do not eat or drink or put your fingers in your mouth while you are near animals or before you have washed your hands.
  • Ensure small children are supervised when washing their hands with hot water, soap and paper towels – there should be hand washing facilities on site.
  • Clean your shoes and pushchair wheels before leaving the farm and before you enter your car and home.

Lambing season:

Pregnant women should:

  • Not help ewes to lamb, or to provide assistance with a cow that is calving or a nanny goat that is kidding.
  • Avoid contact with aborted or new-born lambs, calves or kids or with the afterbirth, birthing fluids or materials (eg bedding) contaminated by such birth products.
  • Avoid handling (including washing) clothing, boots or any materials that may have come into contact with animals that have recently given birth, their young or afterbirths. Potentially contaminated clothing will be safe to handle after being washed on a hot cycle.

Cooking on the barbecue

  • Thaw meat and poultry fully before cooking and cook through at a high temperature.
  • Keep raw foods separate from ready to eat foods and wash your hands after touching raw meat.
  • Never leave food lying around in the heat – keep it in the fridge.

For more information contact PHE West Midlands press office on 0121 232 9223/4 Out Of Hours 07834 311 393.