The Director General of Public Health, Manuel Molina Boix, has confirmed, during the last few minutes in an interview with Radio Calasparra, that the origin of the stomach infection, which has affected some 70 local people, was the bacteria Salmonella.
According to Manuel Molina, Public Health officials found the Salmonella between September 20 and 29 in a patient hospitalised with a bout of gastric enteritis.
Tests were carried out and the origin of the infection was found to be cold meat, eaten raw, which had been sold by a local butcher. The product has been withdrawn and Public Health has sent a message of reassurance to the local population.
As a precaution Public Health recommends that the public avoid eating any cold meats, whiuhc are designed to be eaten raw and which were bought during this period. It is also recommended that people wash their hands well after eating any foodstuff to avoid infection.
Of the 70 people infected in Calasparra some 41 have developed the illness and 10 have been hospitalised, primarily for dehydration.
The Director General of Public Health explained that samples had been taken for an intense analysis to identify the exact circumstances of the contamination.
Earlier the Mayor of Calasparra, Jose Velex, sent a mesaage iof “calm and tranquility” to the population and said the Public Health inspectors had been surprised by the high standard of cleanliness in the butcher´s shop where the bacteria was discovered.
He said the shops had not been closed nor would it be closed but the contamínated product had been withdrawn.
The bout of Salmonella had caused general alarm, he said, but the source of the contamination had been identified and controlled and disinfected.
“Tranquility is the best medicine,” he added.
