Three children remain in intensive care at Landspítali following E.coli outbreak from kindergarten in Reykjavík

Three children remain in intensive care at Landspítali due to an E.coli outbreak originating from a kindergarten in Reykjavík a week ago. According to pediatric infectious disease specialist Valtýr Stefánsson Thors, the children are expected to stay in intensive care into next week, with one child requiring mechanical ventilation. The infections have caused kidney failure, but Valtýr anticipates that the condition will improve as the children recover.

Seven additional children are hospitalized in the general ward due to the outbreak, with most on the mend, and there are hopes that they will be discharged next week. One child who was admitted has already been released. The emergency department for children continues to face high demand as many children, currently confirmed infected but not hospitalized, require daily monitoring.

Between 10 to 15 children visit the hospital daily for evaluations and treatment, reporting symptoms mostly of fatigue and overall malaise. In total, nearly 25 children have been infected with the virus. The kindergarten, Mánagarður, located in Reykjavík’s west end, is set to reopen on Tuesday following its closure due to the E.coli infections. The outbreak has been linked to undercooked mixed beef and lamb minced meat that some of the children consumed.