Brits heading to Spanish holiday hotspots warned of killer food bug found in popular local dish
24 August 2023, 21:18
British holidaymakers heading for Spain have been warned of a deadly food bug that is found in a popular local dish.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Several botulism cases have been detected in tourist hotspots across the country, linked to supermarket omelettes.
As well as Spain, two new cases have been discovered in Norway, too.
In total, 11 Norwegians have been affected by the bug, all of which had stayed in Barcelona between July 10 and July 23.
A man, 38, needed hospitalisation after he was infected with the bug, while another woman, 38, was able to recover at home, Food Safety News reported.
Botulism, which is potentially fatal, is caused when a person eats food containing botulinum toxin.
Read More: Spain’s acting PM slams soccer federation chief for kissing World Cup winner
In some cases, it can lead to paralysis.
While cases were mainly found in Barcelona, there have also been infections in Andalucia, Madrid and Galicia.
"In all cases there was a history of having consumed precooked potato omelettes, packaged and purchased in different supermarkets from different brands," it said.
Grupo Empresarial Palacios Alimentación have recalled their omelette product and have stopped production.T
Symptoms of botulism
- Feeling sick
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhoea
More severe symptoms include:
- Drooping eyelids
- Difficulty swallowing
- Slurred speech
- Breathing difficulties
- Blurred or double vision
- Facial muscle weakness
- In babies: a weak cry, difficulty feeding and a floppy head, neck and limbs
