Over 100 tourists have been affected by suspected Salmonella poisoning at a four-star hotel in southern Spain, with 20 people requiring hospitalization. The outbreak occurred at the Izan Cavanna Hotel in La Manga, a popular resort area near Murcia.
Among those affected were a 15-month-old baby and seven other children, who were transported to a local hospital in the nearby port city of Cartagena. The victims experienced food poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever after eating Saturday lunch at the hotel’s buffet restaurant.
The crisis began with an initial report of 28 cases but quickly escalated to over 100 affected people among the approximately 800 guests staying at the seafront property. Medical authorities established a field hospital at the hotel to manage the emergency response.
Health inspectors have collected samples from the hotel’s kitchen as part of their ongoing investigation. Regional government health officials confirmed they are treating the incident as a probable Salmonella outbreak, leading to the closure of the hotel’s buffet restaurant.
Ambulances were observed arriving and departing from the hotel beginning Saturday afternoon. Some guests received rehydration treatment in their rooms, while others required stretcher transport through hotel corridors to receive medical care.
Multiple guests have identified specific dishes from Saturday’s buffet as potential sources of contamination. Several pointed to fish dishes and spinach-filled pasta items, though health officials have not confirmed which specific foods may have caused the outbreak.
The hotel, which markets itself as one of the most emblematic properties on Spain’s Costa Calida, features multiple dining venues including the buffet restaurant under investigation, a beach bar and restaurant, and an English pub that the hotel’s website indicates is temporarily closed.
Some families with children departed the hotel early after filing official complaints at the front desk. New arrivals on Sunday reported they were not informed of the health issues upon check-in and consumed buffet meals before the restaurant’s closure.
One guest detailed their experience through social media, describing their pregnant wife’s hospitalization and expressing frustration over the hotel’s lack of communication regarding the crisis.
Salmonella poisoning typically manifests with sudden diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps appearing six hours to six days after infection. Symptoms generally persist for four to seven days, though severe cases may require medical intervention due to complications such as bloodstream infections or reactive arthritis.
Several holiday destinations have suffered foodborne illness incidents in the last 12 months, including an outbreak of E. coli at an Egyptian resort in November 2024 and a number of illnesses linked to food poisoning at various resorts in Cape Verde in western Africa last year.
The hotel has not issued official statements regarding the outbreak on its social media platforms or website. The investigation continues as health authorities work to determine the exact cause of the contamination.
