Over 100 tourists in Spain have fallen ill with identical symptoms, prompting urgent medical intervention and raising concerns about a potential foodborne outbreak.
Wave of Poisoning Among Tourists in Spain
On Saturday, the first 28 guests at the Costa Hotel reported health issues. By the next day, the number of affected individuals had risen to over 100. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. According to media reports, more than 20 people, including a 15-month-old child and a woman in her eighth month of pregnancy, were hospitalized in Santa Lucia Hospital in the coastal city of Cartagena. Others received on-site treatment at a temporary field hospital near the hotel. Many guests required IV hydration while remaining in their rooms, and some lay on stretchers in hotel corridors. Preliminary findings suggest a possible salmonella outbreak, potentially linked to seafood dishes or a popular spinach pasta served at the establishment.
Tourist Accounts
Several guests indicated that contaminated seafood or the spinach pasta might have caused the illness. A tourist told local media, “My friend started feeling unwell after lunch and during dinner because of stomach pain. She only ate yogurt. We think it’s related to the seafood, as we were four people for lunch, but she was the only one who ate it. The rest of us ate meat and felt fine.” Meanwhile, the mother of a 15-year-old guest shared, “We found her alone on the parking lot, weak and disoriented.” Both accounts highlight concerns about the food sourced from the hotel’s restaurant and beachside dining areas.
Restaurant Still Open
Despite the outbreak, the hotel’s restaurant, bar, and beachside dining service remained operational. Hotel representatives did not comment on the incident, and social media posts continued to promote the venue’s gastronomic offerings. New visitors arriving on Sunday were not informed about the mass poisonings. Spanish media reported that some guests had used the facilities before all food service points were closed. Sanitary inspectors have already collected food samples to determine the cause of the illness.
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/hotel#anchorLink, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/horoskop#anchorLink, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7
