Two Suspected Cases Of E Coli O157

Two people who recently stayed in holiday cottages at Millness Croft, Glenurquhart, Inverness-shire are suspected to be suffering from E coli O157 infection and are now recovering at home. 

An Outbreak Control Team, which includes officers from NHS Highland, NHS Grampian and the Highland Council’s Environmental Health Service met today in Inverness under the chairmanship of Dr Eric Baijal, Director of Public Health.  He said:

“There are indications that E coli O157 bacteria are present in the private water supply serving the holiday letting cottages. A full investigation is underway and appropriate control measures are in place.
Private water supplies without adequate water treatment are always vulnerable to the risk of contamination.  I would advise anyone on a private water supply to fit a suitable water treatment system.  Businesses have a legal duty to do so. It is an important way of protecting the supply.”
 
Alistair Thomson, Highland Council’s Head of Environmental Health said,
“The Environmental Health Service is in communication with the owner of the premises who is co-operating fully with the investigation.  As a precaution a programme of improvements to the water supply system has been agreed and future holiday bookings have been cancelled pending completion of works and further testing of the supply. All persons who recently stayed at the cottages have been contacted and given appropriate health advice. I am satisfied that there has been a co-ordinated response to the incident.”