18 E. Coli Infections in Virginia and Tennessee

In the past 6 weeks, public health officials have recorded 18 e. coli infections in western Virginia and northeast Tennessee.  In one case, a child died.

Investigators continue to perform genetic testing to determine what the relationship is between the closer of cases.

"Thus far it appears that, in total, about half the cases genetically match each other," Virginia Department of Health spokesperson Robert Parker wrote in an email.  "There is still no indication of a common source."

In early June, doctors determined that a two-year-old girl from Dryden, Virginia had died as a result of e. coli infection.  The girl's brother was hospitalized at the same time as his sibling, but survived the infection.

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