OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Tuesday, the Douglas County Health Department reported multiple cases of salmonella found in children over the past week were traced to an Omaha daycare near 108th and L Streets.
Elite Childcare Academy is temporarily closed as food inspectors and disease investigators look into sanitation issues at the facility. The Douglas County Health Department says the cause of the outbreak is still under investigation.
"The daycare has been incredibly cooperative, they really want to get this done right," Health Department spokesperson Phil Rooney said. "They're working with us to get those sanitation procedures in place."
Rooney said items like additional diaper changing stations and new sinks are being added. The Health Department says the number of affected children isn't known at this time.
Nebraska Medicine's professor of infectious diseases Dr. Mark Rupp says there is a 6-to-72 hour incubation period of salmonella in humans. He advises parents to keep an eye out for symptoms of the bacterial disease. Signs include stomach ache, nausea, diarrhea, and bloody stool.
"You will want to use really good hand hygiene, particularly when changing children's diapers so you don't spread this person-to-person within the family," Dr. Rupp said.
An Elite Childcare Academy employee said they hope to reopen next week. That decision is up to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
