Child remains on life support in Reykjavik following E. coli outbreak linked to Mánagarður preschool

One child remains on life support at the pediatric intensive care unit of a hospital in Reykjavik following an E. coli outbreak linked to the local preschool, Mánagarður. The chief physician reports that while ten children are still hospitalized, most are on the mend.

The affected child, who is three years old, is being kept sedated and on a ventilator. The physician hopes that the other children can be discharged by or after the weekend, but the child on life support will need an additional two to three weeks of care.

Mánagarður preschool has reopened after being closed due to the outbreak, which is believed to have originated from undercooked beef and lamb. Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe diarrhea, blood in stools, and significant weakness. The infection can also affect organs beyond the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the kidneys.

The chief physician noted that while the situation in the hospital has stabilized, the unit remains overwhelmed. Many children are being closely monitored at home. He emphasized that younger children are more susceptible to severe symptoms from such infections, making it not unusual for outbreaks to primarily impact this demographic.

Health officials have not observed an outbreak of this scale before.