The General Directorate of Public Health of the Community of Madrid reported an outbreak of food poisoning at the Reception, Care and Reference Center for Refugees (CREADE) located in Pozuelo de Alarcón, with 142 people affected up to present among the 600 exposed, which represents an attack rate of 23%.
After the corresponding investigation, the origin of foodborne gastroenteritis indicates “significant deficiencies in the handling of food” served at the center by the catering service in charge of the menus, according to the report of the department headed by Elena Andradas. , to which Europa Press had access.
The Pozuelo CREADE, one of four created in Spain by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration for the reception of migrants, is managed by the Association of the Spanish Catholic Migration Commission (ACCEM ). The catering company “Concuidado Suma y seguir” is its food supplier.
The service dependent on the Ministry of Health became aware on the 4th of an outbreak of gastroenteritis “with symptoms having started the day before at 11 p.m.”. This Sunday 3, a lunch menu was served consisting of beans with vegetables and chicken fillet and, for dinner, tomato soup and Spanish chicken roast.
Clinico-epidemiological data and available results from food control samples analyzed suggest a foodborne outbreak due to ‘Bacillus cereus’ and ‘Clostridium perfringens’ toxins. “During the inspection, due to food poisoning, non-compliance with established standards in the field of food and food safety is verified,” determines Public Health in its report sent to the Ministry of Elma Saiz.
In this sense, the department of Elena Andradas explains that the results of the inspection “show significant deficiencies in food handling”, as indicated in the minutes kept by the establishment “Concuidado Suma y seguir “.
“The affected people – out of a total of 600 people exposed – presented a case of self-limiting acute gastroenteritis, which lasted between 24 and 48 hours and did not require hospitalization,” according to the report prepared by Health public, to which she had access to Europe Press.
Two AGE epidemics
The Directorate of Public Health notified this week, from November 4 to 10, two outbreaks of AGE (acute gastroenteritis) of food origin in the Community, with 177 affected and 808 people exposed, according to the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin of the General Directorate of Public Health. Health, consulted by Europa Press.
The other outbreak was registered in the Nuestra Señora de Lourdes children’s residence, which also provides catering service to the El Tomillar nursery school, both located in Torrelodones.
“It is a slight poisoning, which affected children and educators, and the alert system was immediately launched,” explained the Minister of Family, Youth and Social Affairs, Ana, on Friday. Davila.
“The report determined that there was a break in the cold chain of one of the foods, and that day it was cooked on the menu,” he explained during a breakfast briefing organized by the Executive Forum.
