THE family of toddler Abigail Hennessey have told of their nightmare week as the three-year-old fell critically ill after contracting E.coli.
Abigail’s grandfather, Ronald Hennessey, of Gresford, said that thanks to superb medical treatment from the staff at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, Abigail was now steadily improving.
He said: “It is great to know she is making excellent progress. Day by day she is getting better and stronger in her recovery.”
Mr Hennessey said the situation was in stark contrast to last week when Abigail fell seriously ill after contracting E.coli.
He said: “Then it was almost as if she was in a kind of trance. She was just staring right ahead. But now she is up talking and laughing.
“I don’t know when she will be coming home. I would very much like to thank Alder Hey for its tremendous work. They have been magnificent.”
Abigail’s mother Sarah had also tested positive for E.coli, and been unwell. However her condition was not as severe as her daughter’s.
Another woman who has contracted E.coli is 32-year-old librarian Karen Morrisroe, who is in a medically induced coma at the Maelor Hospital after suffering kidney damage as a result of the infection.
The National Public Health Service (NPHS) for WAles said tests had revealed the four cases diagnosed in Wrexham were all likely to be linked.
Dr Judy Hart, consultant in communicable disease control, said: “Laboratory testing has now confirmed all four cases as E.coli O157 phage type 2.
“This suggests that they are all part of the same outbreak and their illness is linked. Further tests will now be conducted to confirm whether the samples from the four cases in Wrexham are absolutely identical.
“It is important to stress that as the investigation continues, we are examining all possible sources of the illness including foreign travel, agricultural and leisure activities, as well as food and water consumed before the beginning of illness.
“Two people are still in hospital. A 32-year-old female is still seriously ill in intensive care and a three-year-old female is recovering in hospital. Two females aged 23 and 32 are recovering at home.
“No new cases have been confirmed. It is likely that the incident which caused the food poisoning occurred a few weeks ago.”