A MUM claims her four-year-old daughter dropped to ‘the weight of a baby’ after a nasty parasitic infection caught at a kid’s petting farm left her horribly ill.
Little Georgia Powell suffered with vomiting and diarrhoea for two weeks after visiting Gannow Farm in Worcestershire over the Easter holidays.
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Mum Michelle, 41, said her four-year-old daughter got so ill, she had to be put back in nappies.
She claimed the tot lost half of her body weight in the process.
Georgia is thought to have been infected with cryptosporidium – a microscopic parasite that can cause an infection called cryptosporidiosis.
She’s one of several children and parents left with severe gastric sickness following a visit to Gannow Farm in March this year.
The attraction – which offers cuddles with lambs and calves – is temporarily closed, after it emerged last month that 20 visitors had contacted public health lawyers asking them to investigate the matter following sickness.
The number of people seeking legal action has now risen to 83, Irwin Mitchell – the firm supporting families – said.
One of those people is Michelle, who told the BBC that Georgia had fallen ill six days after the family visited Gannow Farm over the Easter holidays.
She described the tot’s ordeal, saying: “She weighed 2st 7lb (15.9kg) and when I weighed her at the end of it she weighed 1st 1lb (6.4kg).
“She was the weight of a baby, not a four-year-old. It was horrendous.
“I would try to get her to eat but every time she did it would just come straight up. It was horrible seeing her like that.”
Michelle added that Georgia barely left the sofa for two weeks.
In a statement, Gannow Farm told The Sun that the attraction had temporarily closed, with refunds issued to people who’d pre-purchased tickets.
“We are currently working closely with The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and our insurers and are unable to comment any further until the investigation is concluded.”
Its spokesperson added: “Our thoughts are with the families and children who have been ill in this difficult time.”
UKHSA confirmed to the BBC that it’s working with Worcestershire County Council, Worcestershire Regulatory Services and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
‘DEEPLY CONCERNING’
Children as young as one were among those who fell ill after visiting the family attraction, according to Irwin Mitchell.
One of the victims to come forward was Sophie Enright, 14, from Hollywood, Birmingham, who lost over a stone in weight after falling ill.
The teen visited the farm with her mum on April 3 and became ill with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting by April 9.
Sophie was forced to take time off school and now fears her exam results will be affected. She continues to suffer from debilitating symptoms, including stomach pains and lethargy.
Also struck down was five-year-old Eli Roberts, from Birmingham, who visited Gannow Farm with his mum Kelly last month.
Ten days later, he was rushed to hospital with “bright green vomit” and diarrhoea. Stool samples confirmed Eli had cryptosporidiosis.
Kelly, an NHS admin worker, said: “We came for a nice family day out and left with a bug that could have killed him.
The outbreak has not been officially linked to the farm, but it previously admitted it was a “probable source”.
Jatinder Paul, head of the specialist public health team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Since being initially approached by 20 people who had fallen seriously ill following visits to Gannow Farm, it’s deeply concerning that over 80 people have now come forward, all with similar stories to tell of being diagnosed with cryptosporidium following their visit.
“Cryptosporidium is known to cause gastrointestinal illness and can be a serious condition for many vulnerable groups, including children and older people.
“A type of microscopic parasite, cryptosporidium can cause illness in both humans and animals alike.
“It’s vital that people take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their families from the risk of infection.
“While welcome that the UKHSA is investigating, we’re committed to supporting our clients through what has been a terrible ordeal and securing for them the answers they deserve.
“If during the case of our investigations any issues are identified, it’s vital that lessons are learned to improve public safety.”
How to tell if you’ve picked up cryptosporidium – plus, steps to avoid it
HUNDREDS of people in Devon have been struck down by a parasite that infiltrated the water supply.
The bug, cryptosporidium, commonly known as ‘crypto,’ can infect the digestive systems of both animals and people.
Most people recover, but some can become seriously ill, such as very young children and those with particularly weak immune systems.
What are the symptoms?
- Profuse watery diarrhoea
- Stomach pains
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Low-grade fever
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
Symptoms usually last about two weeks but can be longer, especially in people with weak immune systems.
During the illness, you might think you are getting better and have shaken off the infection, but then it returns a couple of days later before you fully recover.
Take the following steps to protect yourself from the illness
The advice to people living in the affected area is to boil your drinking water and drink plenty to prevent becoming dehydrated – and stay away at home until it’s subsided.
Beyond the current outbreak, crypto can also be caught in lakes and swimming pools and contact with animal manure.
Therefore, you should always avoid swallowing water in lakes and swimming pools.
Catching it from animals is usually the most common way people become unwell, with a spike coming in spring when farms hold open days.
You should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after working with, feeding, grooming or playing with pets and other animals.
How do I treat the illness?
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.
Most people with a healthy immune system will recover within one month.
It’s important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting can lead to dehydration and you can lose important sugars and minerals from your body.
Cryptosporidiosis is highly infectious, so you need to be very clean around your home for at least 48 hours after your symptoms stop, so don’t return to work or school until that time has passed, don’t share towels or bedding and don’t prepare food for others.
You are infectious to other people while you are ill and have symptom
Cryptosporidium can affect anyone, but it tends to be worse for children under the age of five.
It causes watery and often violent diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pains that can last days or weeks.
The bug is found in the intestines and faeces of infected humans and animals and can contaminate lakes, streams, rivers, swimming pools, water and food, as well as farm gates and outdoor clothing and shoes.
For most people, cryptosporidiosis is mild and will clear on its own, but UKHSA warns it can be “dangerous” for some.
Officials say it can cause dehydration, malnutrition, growth delays and cognitive impairment.
The NHS urges anyone with symptoms to stay off work and school.
No one should return until they have been free from diarrhoea and/or vomiting for at least 48 hours.
The bug has also emerged in South Devon, contaminating tap water in the area and and forcing 17,000 residents to boil their water before drinking it.
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