MERCER ISLAND, Wash. — A child on Mercer Island has been reported with a possible E. coli infection, according to the Seattle and King County Public Health Department.
The child has not been hospitalized, but was exposed to meat and produce which could have been contaminated with E. coli, and also was exposed to Mercer Island water.
Whether or not the child has an E. coli infection cannot be confirmed until next week.
Even as they sent out the alert, King County health officials cautioned that though the child does live on Mercer Island, there's no proof yet that the E. coli infection came from drinking the water.
After all, there are a handful of E. coli cases in the state every year.
"We're considering this as a potentially related case," said Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, the Seattle and King County Public Health Communicable Disease Chief.
However, he added, the E. coli in the island's water is a different strain than that which made the child sick.
"The E. coli that were found in the Mercer Island water supply indicate that there was fecal contamination of the water," said Duchin. "It's not typical to have E. coli 0157 infections in these types of situations. But, it's not impossible."
He is urging parents to be alert to E. coli symptoms, including diarrhea and stomach cramps, and to report them to their family physician to help determine the source.
Raj Larha has his hands full trying to keep his two young children from ingesting Mercer Island's water, during nearly a week of a boil-water advisory there.
Sunday marked three days of samples free of E. coli contamination. The boil-water advisory, however, has not been lifted.
"We just boil the water, rinse it with it," said Larha. "We just make sure they don't come in contact with tap water."
Larha says he will definitely keep his children on bottled water for a while longer.
"It is really concerning that someone has been detected positive with E. coli," said Larha.
All 18 of the samples resulting in Sunday's clear analysis, including seven from voluntary residences, tested negative for the presence of E. coli.
According to the city, the school district on Mercer Island will continue with its regular school schedule ‘using “heat and eat” food, and special water procedures.’
Another 18 samples were collected Sunday morning. Results yielded from the samples will be released early Monday.
Whole Foods Market has offered free use of their in-store filtered-water machines for Mercer Island residents at their South Lake Union and Bellevue outlets.
"This is scary that children are getting in contact with this," said Larha. "We hope that we find what's causing it and the source, and this is being taken care of."
His is a hope surely shared by everyone who lives on Mercer Island.
For more information about the boil-water advisory, visit www.mercergov.org.