Posted: August 6th, 2008 - 10:42am by Doug Powell

Shit happens.

Often on someone’s hands or food. Follow the poop.

And when shit happens, begin by saying sorry.

Dr. Nicola Mercer, acting medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, said that five cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been confirmed and another 15 suspected in people who ate at University of Guelph food service outlets.

Mercer said, but it's believed to have started with improper handwashing by an ill food-services employee.

No justification is offered for that statement.

Chuck Cunningham, the U of G's director of communication and public affairs, said University Food Services has stayed open over the weekend, adding,

"There was no reason to close anything down. Staff took all necessary precautions. The university is well-known for its food-safety expertise.”

I’m sure that is comforting to the people on the toilet. The university is well known for its press releases proclaiming expertise in food safety.

Apparently UoG in Canada has learned nothing from a 2006 norovirus outbreak when spokesthingies blamed students for stealing soap, or from a 2007 outbreak of Salmonella down the road at the University of Western Ontario where spokesthingies were eventually forced to apologize after sickening 20 patrons at one of its food service outlets. Or from the 2007 Taste of Chicago outbreak where some 800 were sickened and repeatedly told they were dining at one of the safest  places ever in the history of the universe.

This ain’t rocket surgery. If a bunch of people get sick, start by saying you’re sorry. And then fix the problem.

User Rating: Select ratingPoorOkayGoodGreatAwesome

Your rating: None