School chef becomes second woman to die after eating 'toxic guacamole' at food festival - with two children hospitalised
Two women have died after eating a toxic batch of guacamole at an Italian food festival, while two children remain in hospital.
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School chef Valeria Sollai, 62, collapsed after eating the contaminated dip at the Fiesta Latina food event in Monserrato, Cagliari.
After spending weeks on life support and showing signs of recovery, she suffered a relapse and was pronounced dead on Monday.
Gianni Milia, her cousin, told the Sardinian newspaper L’Unione Sarda: “It’s absurd that someone goes out for a relaxing evening, goes to a party, eats a sandwich and ends up in the hospital.
“She was with her sisters, they all ate the same sandwich, but only she fell ill. They were celebrating their older sister’s discharge from the hospital. A party turned into a tragedy.”
Ms Sollai’s death comes a little more than a week after Roberta Pitzalis, 38, who ate the same batch of guacamole, died on August 8.
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A post-mortem revealed she suffered from a fatal combination of botulism poisoning and pneumonia.
Botulism is triggered by a toxin attacking the body’s nerves. It can cause muscle paralysis, breathing difficulties and sometimes death.
Food-lovers at the Italian event were unknowingly served the dish between July 22 and July 24.
The batch of Metro Chef avocado pulp has since been linked to a deadly botulism outbreak.
Two children aged 11 and 14 are still in hospital after eating the poisoned avocado dip.
A 14-year-old girl is being treated at Monserrato Policlinico, while an 11-year-old boy was airlifted to Rome's Gemelli Policlinico, where he remains in a serious condition.
The travelling festival was scheduled to arrive in Tortolì but was cancelled by local authorities following the outbreak.
The Cagliari Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a probe into the outbreak while a recall notice for the poisoned product has been issued by the Ministry of Health.
The health department said in a statement: “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 health ministry said.
“The intervention system reacted promptly, ensuring that patients had timely access to life-saving antidote treatments.”
Meanwhile, authorities in Calabria have launched a probe after two people died in a separate outbreak of botulism in Diamante.
Artist Luigi di Sarno, 52, and Tamara D’Acunto, 45, both fell ill shortly after sausage and turnip panini from a food truck.
A further 14 people, including two teenagers, suffered food poisoning and were taken to hospital.