More than 100 guests, including several children, fell ill at a Spanish hotel in a suspected Salmonella poisoning, with dozens of those being taken to hospital for treatment
A Spanish hotel where a mass suspected salmonella outbreak struck down more than 100 guests has said it “deeply regrets” what happened and is doing “everything it can” to resolve the situation.
The four-star Izan Cavanna Hotel in La Manga, Murcia, in southern Spain, broke its silence following reports of food poisoning on Saturday and brushed off criticism from tourists over how it handled the outbreak. Health officials for the region said 47 people needed to be treated in the A&E unit of Santa Lucia Hospital in the nearby city of Cartagena with nine people still receiving treatment.
Several children, including a 15-month-old baby and a heavily-pregnant woman, were taken to the hospital. The husband of the pregnant woman said her condition was “delicate” and claimed in a furious social media post they were ignored by the hotel.
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A field hospital was set up at the seafront hotel, just 15 minutes from the famous five-star La Manga club resort, to help the remaining guests who fell ill with tell-tale food poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting and in some cases fever.
Initially 28 guests were said to have fallen ill but by Sunday the number of people with health problems had jumped to more than 100 of the 800 guests staying at the hotel. Regional government health sources said they are treating the incident as a probable salmonella poisoning outbreak although tests are still ongoing.
They are understood to be focusing on two meals available in the Saturday lunchtime restaurant buffet – a fish dish and the sauce used in a spinach-filled pasta dish. Izan Cavanna bosses said in a lengthy statement: “Since becoming aware of the situation, we have taken immediate action, adopting the following measures: Collaboration with health authorities.
“We immediately notified the local public health authorities, with whom we continue to collaborate closely to investigate the source of the outbreak and, as is only right, to follow all their recommendations and guidelines.
“Assistance to affected guests. Our team is providing the necessary support to affected guests, providing them with medical assistance and attending to their needs to ensure their speedy recovery, while remaining in direct contact with them. Hygiene and Disinfection Protocols. We have implemented a thorough disinfection and sanitation protocol in all our facilities, which exceeds our already rigorous cleaning standards.”
They added: “We deeply regret the situation and the concern that this incident may have caused our guests. We would like to express our sincere solidarity with those affected and assure them that we have mobilised all our resources to manage this matter with the utmost diligence and transparency.”
In response a Spanish holidaymaker staying at the hotel replied on Sunday: “I spoke with the hotel at 9am to inform them of the seriousness of the situation and my wife’s delicate condition, and now it is 2.20pm and I still haven’t received a call from anyone at the hotel. My belongings and my wife’s belongings are still in the room, as we have a reservation until Monday.
“I’m calling the hotel and no one is answering the phone at this time of day. We need answers.”
Health officials said 24 adults and 23 children had been assisted in A&E since Saturday. Investigators said: “The initial microbiological results point to a salmonella outbreak but samples are still being taken.”
Full results are expected to take weeks to finalise.