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Popular San Luis Obispo pumpkin patch closes after E. coli outbreak
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- Brookshire Farms in San Luis Obispo County has closed for the remainder of the Halloween season following an E. coli outbreak linked to visits to the farm, with five confirmed cases including three children hospitalized in intensive care.
- The strain involved produces Shiga toxin, which can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms and kidney complications, especially in young children.
- Health officials have not yet identified the exact source of the contamination but confirmed all infected individuals visited the farm between October 16 and 26.
- Authorities urge anyone who visited the farm during this period to monitor for symptoms such as severe abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea and seek immediate medical care if symptoms appear.
- The investigation is ongoing, with farm testing results pending, and officials have issued safety guidelines for handling pumpkins to prevent further infections.
