Food poisoning sours wedding bash
Published:Friday | December 24, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Lucas and Venecia Vall may still go ahead with their wedding celebrations, even after the death of their Argentinian friend, Aldo Malaspino.
Lucas, an Argentinian, and Venecia, a Jamaican from Portmore, St Catherine, exchanged nuptials in Japan a year ago, but decided to celebrate their special occasion here.
Malaspino died within an hour of consuming fish and potato salad he prepared at a villa in Rio Nuevo, St Mary, on Wednesday night. The fish was purchased at a popular Ocho Rios supermarket.
Ten other people, reportedly visiting from Japan, Italy and Argentina, who ate the same meal, were hospitalised with apparent food poisoning. Up to press time, five remained under observation at the St Ann's Bay Hospital, while Lucas Vall's mother, Olga Santini, had to be transferred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), where she is in stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit.
Saddened by the passing of Malaspino, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, while expressing regret, said the Valls are still hoping to go through with their wedding celebrations.
"And the doctors at CRH are optimistic about Olga Santini's condition," Bartlett said.
The minister, who spent the entire morning yesterday visiting the victims, noted that the incident was an unfortunate one as it appears to be food poisoning.
Investigation launched
He said a full-scale investigation had been launched by both the Ministry of the Health and the Ministry of National Security, with Prime Minister Golding paying close attention to the situation.
He noted that the health ministry had taken samples from all the persons affected.
Admitting this was a challenging period for the industry, Bartlett said it was important to ensure sustainable development, given the fact the country is on the right track, recording a "dream start" to the winter tourist season.
"I am making an appeal to Jamaicans to secure our visitors, as much as is humanly possible," he said.
According to a release from the tourism ministry, that organisation is working along with the Ministry of Health and other state agencies to facilitate the medical care of the group.