TRENTON, Ohio — All Edgewood City Schools will be closed Thursday in response to an elementary school student’s potential E. coli diagnosis.
According to a letter sent to parents and staff Wednesday evening, “action is being taken by the Butler County Health Department to determine if any other individuals have been affected.” All five schools in the district will be completely closed “out of an abundance of caution” as the buildings are cleaned and county health officials investigate.
"The safety of our students is our top priority and we feel this is the best precautionary action we can take to protect our students and staff,” public relations director Pam Pratt wrote in the letter. “In the meantime, we are taking steps to extensively clean the Seven Mile Elementary School this evening in an effort to limit the exposure.”
Parents and staff should expect an update Thursday, Pratt wrote.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, harmful E. coli bacteria normally enter the human body through tiny particles of feces, which are usually transmitted via contaminated food and water.
Eating food prepared by someone who didn’t thoroughly wash their hands after using the bathroom can spread the infection; so can swallowing lake water or touching one’s mouth after petting a farm animal.
An E. coli infection can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover with a week, but some long-lasting cases can be life-threatening.
