The health ministry said Friday that it reacted to two deadly outbreaks of botulism in Sardinia and Calabria with the speedy activation of a protocol for such situations.
A 38-year-old woman who was among eight people to suffer symptoms of severe food poisoning after eating guacamole sauce at a festival last month died in hospital in Cagliari on Friday.
Prosecutors in Calabria, meanwhile, have opened an investigation and ordered the nationwide seizure of a product, reportedly broccoli-based, that is thought to have caused an outbreak in the Cosenza area that resulted in one victim, Luigi di Sarno, a 52-year-old tourist.
"Following two major clusters of botulinum intoxication that occurred in recent weeks in Sardinia and Calabria, the Department of Prevention, Research and Health Emergencies of the Ministry of Health immediately activated all the health protocols," the ministry said.
"The intervention system was actively promptly, ensuring that patients had timely access to life-saving antidote treatments".
