4 Cases Of Salmonella & 18 Cases Of Stomach Flu Reported At Newton Pre-School
Children are boisterous and lively, but they are also more prone to falling ill.
So when students at a Newton pre-school started coming down with stomach flu and salmonella, parents became worried.
An outbreak at Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Newton saw at least 18 cases of stomach flu and 4 cases of salmonella.
On Tuesday (8 Dec), the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said they are working with the Health Ministry on this case.
Outbreak of salmonella and stomach flu at Newton pre-school
In a school circular sent to parents yesterday (8 Dec), Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse stated that as of the same day, there have been 4 cases of salmonella and 18 cases of stomach flu at the pre-school.
According to The Straits Times (ST), within these cases, 3 children between 18 months to 6 years old had to be hospitalised. 1 of them has since been discharged.
The cause of the outbreak has not been identified. However, all the cases have been reported to ECDA.
Pre-school will be disinfected daily
An ECDA spokesperson said the agency is now working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the case.
Since the outbreak, Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Newton has also assured parents that facilities at the centre will be disinfected daily, reported ST.
According to ST, the outbreak is a cause for concern as salmonella infections can be fatal for young children and those with weak immune systems.
Salmonella infections typically result from consuming food with the bacteria Salmonella Enteritidis. This can cause food poisoning, with symptoms like diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
Contaminated food and water can also be the cause of stomach flu, which leads to diarrhoea or vomiting.
Parents reportedly wish school reacted with more urgency
Speaking to ST, a parent expressed that she wished Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse had shown more urgency in informing them about the outbreak.
She reportedly received the first circular on Monday (7 Dec), after her children had already fallen ill. If she had known about the outbreak earlier, she would have acted sooner.
Another parent, whose child had to be hospitalised, agreed that the pre-school should have been more transparent.
He cited that when he called the school, they specifically told him not to speak to other parents and alarm them. But he believes parents have the right to know, so they can take precautions.
A reminder of the importance of food hygiene
Unfortunately, this is not the first of such outbreaks at pre-schools in Singapore.
Hopefully, such incidents act as a reminder of the importance of food hygiene, especially in pre-schools with vulnerable young children.
MS News wishes the children affected by this outbreak a speedy recovery.
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