A person in Fife has been diagnosed with the potentially fatal E. Coli 0157 bug, while another is being closely monitored after displaying symptoms of the infection.
NHS Fife has revealed that the patient with E. Coli 0157 is recovering at home after falling ill following a visit to a Scout camp in the Borders in the middle of July.
Both the confirmed and suspected cases attended the camp near Selkirk from July 16 and 23 and health chiefs have urged anyone else who visited the camp to seek medical assistance if they develop symptoms including diarrhoes and vomiting.
Investigations are under way to identify the source of the infection and steps have been taken to both identify those at risk, and reduce the likelihood of further infection.
No further details about either the confirmed or suspected case have been released.
Dr Charles Saunders, NHS Fife consultant in public health medicine, said: “Whilst the risk of further infection is small, I would encourage anyone who attended the scout camp and has experienced symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, bloody stools, stomach pain and fever, to seek medical attention.”
The Fife case comes to light just days after 14 people across Scotland and two in England contracted the bug following an outbreak linked to a cheese manufacturer in Lanarkshire.
Two people required hospital treatment in that instance, which was linked to two batches of Dunsyre Blue Cheese.
