Chip shop 'likely' E.coli source

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A chip shop in Wrexham has been identified as the likely source of an E.coli outbreak, the National Public Health Service for Wales has confirmed.

After an investigation it has ruled out other sources of infection. The Llay Fish Bar in Llay remains closed.

Four people were initially confirmed as having E.coli but that has now risen.

It has emerged three children from Shropshire also became ill after contact with an unconfirmed case who ate food from the chip shop.

The youngsters are thought to have acquired their illness within the home.

Two of the children - a one-year-old girl and a boy aged six - were admitted to hospital and are now recovering at home.

An eight-year-old boy had only mild symptoms.

Karen Morrisroe-Clutton remains seriously ill in intensive care with the bug

Dr Judy Hart, consultant in communicable disease control with the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHSW) , said careful attention to hand washing after using the lavatory and before preparing or eating food was the best way to prevent spread of infection.

Llay Fish Bar was closed by Wrexham council food safety officers on 30 July as a precaution to protect the health of the public.

An application to reopen the premises has now been withdraw and the council is preparing a report to determine what action will be taken.

After a month-long investigation, the NPHSW and Wrexham council issued a statement saying: "The outbreak investigation team has ruled out other possible sources of infection and now considers a food premises to be the most likely source."

Lowest rating

One victim, Karen Morrisroe-Clutton, 32, who has a three-month-old son, remains seriously ill in intensive care in Wrexham Maelor Hospital following the outbreak.

She ate food from the takeaway last month.

Abigail Hennessey, three, who spent two weeks in hospital with the E.coli bug, is now recovering at home.

Two other local women were also struck with the illness.

All four people, who suffered the same strain of E.coli, are believed to have eaten food from the Llay Fish Bar.

An inspection of the takeaway a year ago found poor hygiene conditions and council health inspectors awarded the lowest possible rating of zero stars.

'Respectable person'

Pierre Bartlett, the solicitor for Ramazan Aslan, owner of the Llay Fish Bar, said he had not yet seen a report into the findings of the initial investigation so could not comment.

He said the application to reopen the fish bar had been withdrawn because "no stone could be left unturned" and they are working on "one or two issues and making sure we get everything right".

He added that Mr Aslan was a professional, "respectable person" and they were co-operating fully with the council.