A 4-year-old girl remains in the hospital after being infected with E. coli O157:H7 at a private picnic in Ohio, where at least 74 others were also sickened. A total of 14 victims were hospitalized; 3 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection marked by kidney failure. One of the HUS patients, a 73-year-old man, died Tuesday from his infection. The 4-year-old girl, also suffering from HUS, is in “serious condition,” according to a report issued by Dayton & Montgomery Public Health Friday. Of those ill, 18 have been confirmed as part of the outbreak by lab analysis, according to the health department. The outbreak has been traced to a customer appreciation picnic put on by Neff’s Lawn Care in Germantown, Ohio on July 3. Officials are still trying to determine the source of contamination. Montgomery County is continuing an investigation into the cause of the foodborne outbreak,” says the health department’s statement.
