Second nursery tested for E.coli

Swabs taken from the first nursery tested negative for E.coli O157

Children and staff at a second nursery in Belfast are being tested for a possible E.coli infection.

Last week, the Eastern Health and Social Services Board ordered tests at Ravenscroft Nursery School in east Belfast after a child caught the bug.

Two other possible cases have since been identified.

Now, 60 children and staff at Cathedral Nursery School in west Belfast are being tested, after an exchange visit with Ravenscroft last week.

Dr Lourda Geoghegan, a public health expert with the eastern board, said the extension of the investigation was precautionary.

"We feel that at this point any risk to children at Cathedral Nursery is low, however, we want to adopt a precautionary approach," she said.

She urged parents, staff and children at Cathedral Nursery - in the Lower Falls area - not to be unduly concerned.

On Friday, the BBC learned that a pupil at Ravenscroft Nursery School took ill with the E. coli 0157 strain of the organism, which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.

A number of children at the nursery had diarrhoea and vomiting, but the board said this could be unrelated.

Children and pensioners are especially vulnerable to E. coli 0157 which is normally found in the intestines of people and cattle and can be passed on by eating infected food and liquid.