San Luis Obispo cancels Halloween events amid E. coli outbreak investigation
Health officials are probing an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to Brookshire Farms, prompting the temporary closure of the farm and the cancellation of the city’s Pumpkin Smash event.
San Luis Obispo County health officials are investigating a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 outbreak that has affected more than a dozen people, including children and young adults, after visits to Brookshire Farms between Oct. 16 and Oct. 26. Deputy Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said five cases have been confirmed and eight are under investigation, with symptoms such as stomach cramping, bloody diarrhea and vomiting appearing three to ten days after exposure.
Three patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney damage and clotting problems, and a fourth patient was hospitalized before being released. Mulkerin noted that children under five are especially vulnerable.
As a precaution, Brookshire Farms remains closed and its night-maze attraction has been canceled. The outbreak also led the City of San Luis Obispo to cancel its annual Pumpkin Smash, an event that allows residents to dispose of carved pumpkins.
"After consulting with the County Department of Public Health, we have unfortunately decided to cancel the Pumpkin Smash this year," said Meg Buckingham, the city’s Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager.
Buckingham added that residents can still recycle pumpkins at home by placing them in green bins after removing candles, decorations, stickers or other non-organic materials.