Bari: Food poisoning at the Turi meeting – health alert issued, ASL investigates
Over three hundred participants at a conference in the Bari area showed symptoms of food poisoning after their evening meal. Dozens of people were admitted to various hospitals, including one serious case of septicaemia
There were over three hundred delegates, who gathered on 11 September at a hotel in Turi for an event organised by a multinational energy company.
The proceedings went smoothly throughout the day, punctuated by sessions, coffee breaks and a closing dinner, organised by a local function venue.
Everything seemed to have ended well, but something, evidently, had not gone down well. After the night of 12 September, each delegate left the venue to return to their home town, both in Italia and abroad. It was during the return journey that the participants began to report the same symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain, all consistent with a gastrointestinal disorder.
As the hours passed, the numbers began to rise and the suspicion that this might not be an isolated case became a reality, pointing to what is currently believed to be a case of food poisoning. Dozens of people are reported to have been taken to A&E or admitted to various hospitals, often in their local areas.
The Bari Local Health Authority has stated that the exact causes of the illnesses are not yet clear, but epidemiological investigations are ongoing. At present, six cases are being assessed by doctors: two people have been discharged to recover at home, whilst four remain in hospital. However, particular concern is said to be caused by the clinical condition of one of the participants, which is considered more serious as they have developed the early stages of septicaemia.
