Brookshire Farms вновь открылась после вспышки E. coli, совладелец выражает тревогу

Brookshire Farms reopened on Friday after a 10-day voluntary shutdown that followed an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli linked to the pumpkin patch, which sickened five people, including three children who required intensive care.

Co-owner Shawn Callaway, a former firefighter, said the farm’s priority is the safety of visitors and staff and expressed deep concern for the affected families.

"I’m destroyed," Callaway told The Tribune of San Luis Obispo.

County health officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said laboratory tests confirmed the strain as E. coli O157, but environmental sampling at the farm did not detect that specific pathogen. She noted that pinpointing the exact source can be difficult because bacterial contamination is often temporary and hard to detect.

"Although it’s frustrating to not be able to pinpoint the exact source of the infection through environmental lab testing, this is not unexpected," Mulkerin said in a news release.

The farm reported that other types of E. coli were found in an old cow pat on a nearby hill, but no direct link to the cases was established. Callaway said the two groups of visitors who fell ill visited the farm on Oct. 17 and the following morning, and he does not believe pumpkins were the source because the first group did not handle them.

"The county never tested our pumpkins. They refused to test our pumpkins and said it was not in their investigational area because the pumpkins didn’t have the ability to get tested correctly," Callaway said.

Mulkerin later clarified that the county did not intend to suggest pumpkins were the source and urged the public not to fear pumpkins.

The farm has implemented extensive sanitation measures, including regular cleaning of 17 restrooms, 17 hand-washing stations, eight sanitizing stations, and frequent cleaning of tables and chairs. The facility does not operate a petting zoo, a common source of E. coli outbreaks.

Brookshire Farms offered free leftover pumpkins to visitors and plans to remain open through the holiday season, beginning around Thanksgiving. The county announced that the risk of further exposure had passed and there was no ongoing public health threat.