The E. coli outbreak that temporarily closed three Ellensburg day-care operations appears to be winding down, health officials said last Friday. However, press reports a few hours ago indicate that the outbreak strain that has sickened several children and adults is E. coli O26 not the more frequently diagnosed E. coli O157:H7.

The original source of the E. coli O26 is not yet known.

The CDC estimates that "non-O157 STECs (like O26, O45, 0103, O111, O121, and O145) cause 36,700 illnesses, 1,100 hospitalizations and 30 deaths in America each year."