It has been reported that lawyers who represent a farm at the centre of an E. coli outbreak which occurred during the summer of 2009 have admitted liability and agreed pay to compensation to victims of the outbreak who have suffered injury and loss. The compensation awarded to all the individuals involved could potentially amount to millions of pounds.
In total 93 people were infected during the E. coli outbreak. Many of those injured were children. Approximately 76 children under the age of 10 became ill. A number of those children infected required hospital treatment. Some of the children infected suffered serious complications such as kidney failure and spent weeks in hospital. The long-term effects of the infection on the children who suffered serious symptoms such as kidney failure are not yet known. I sincerely hope that the children affected receive the compensation they deserve and I am happy to see that the insurers of the farm have recognised the farms liability and agreed to pay compensation to the victims.
An independent inquiry into the out break of E coli found unacceptable delays by the Health Protection Agency in setting up an outbreak control team. The farm involved was allowed to remain open even though officials already knew that there had been cases of the bug in people who had visited the farm.
E. coli is a common bacteria which can be found everywhere in the environment. There are a number of different strains of E. coli bacteria and some strains can be very dangerous to children and the elderly. Good hygiene is recommended as the main way in which to prevent infection.
