Posted: June 18th, 2010 - 9:53am by Doug Powell

A small cluster of E. coli cases among children is being investigated in the U.K. by the Kent Health Protection Unit.

The three children, whose ages have not been revealed, are all members of the same family who have recently met for barbecues and picnics.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said one case was confirmed and two were being investigated.

Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, director of the Kent Health Protection Unit, said,

"We are raising awareness of E. coli O157 infection, especially as at this time of year people attend more barbecues and picnics in the countryside."

Could that have anything to do with the Griffin report into the E. coli O157 outbreak at the Godstone Farm petting zoo that sickened 93 and concluded,

“… there was a lack of public health leadership by the Health Protection Agency and a missed opportunity to exercise decisive public health action and thereby restrict the size of the outbreak."