One dead and nine others rushed to hospital after eating broccoli prompting urgent recall in Italy
Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed after eating the alleged contaminated sandwich from a food truck on the Diamante seafront in the province of Cosenza, Italy. Cosenza is in the Calabria region of the country.
Nine others were taken to the intensive care unit of Annunziata Hospital, including two teenagers and two women in their 40s.
Two of the patients remain in a very serious condition.
Di Sarno's family are among those who have fallen ill, reports The Mirror.
All patients have the symptoms of botulism, which is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria.
Following the outbreak in the Cosenza region, officials have ordered the immediate seizure of a commercial product, which is thought to be broccoli in oil.
The food truck which sold the sandwiches has also been seized.
An anti-toxin serum used to treat botulism is being distributed across Italy.
'The emergency procedure established in these cases has been activated, which requires immediate notification to the Poison Control Center in Pavia, the only national centre designated for the management of botulism,' the Calabria Region's Department of Health and Welfare said.
'No region or hospital in the country is authorised to store the antivenom in their own facilities.
'This serum, however, is exclusively available to the Ministry of Health, which holds it in designated secure locations and distributes it only through the Lombardy Poison Control Centre.
'The first two vials, used for the first patients, were sent directly from the Military Pharmacy in Taranto.
'However, as the number of cases increased, additional supplies became necessary.
'Yesterday, the Calabria Region, through Azienda Zero, provided a 118 aircraft that flew to the San Camillo Hospital in Rome, where the ministry had centralised additional vials of the antivenom to facilitate distribution.'
A friend of Di Sarno posted a tribute on Facebook.
'Rest in peace my friend and thank you for all your life and culture lessons since I was just a child. I always admired your character and will never forget your noble and kind soul. Watch over your loved ones. Here's who Luigi Di Sarno was,' Gennaro Russo wrote.
It comes after eight people became ill with botulism last month in Sardinia, after eating infected guacamole at Fiesta Latina, reported Italian newspaper, La Repubblica.
An 11-year-old boy remains in intensive care at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.
A woman, 38, reportedly died after she ate a taco with guacamole at the same festival in the Cagliari hinterland.
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7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
One dead and nine others rushed to hospital after eating broccoli prompting urgent recall in Italy
A man has died and nine others have been rushed to hospital after they ate a broccoli and sausage sandwich in Italy, amid a growing outbreak of botulism in the country. Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed after eating the alleged contaminated sandwich from a food truck on the Diamante seafront in the province of Cosenza, Italy. Cosenza is in the Calabria region of the country. Nine others were taken to the intensive care unit of Annunziata Hospital, including two teenagers and two women in their 40s. Two of the patients remain in a very serious condition. Di Sarno's family are among those who have fallen ill, reports The Mirror. All patients have the symptoms of botulism, which is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Following the outbreak in the Cosenza region, officials have ordered the immediate seizure of a commercial product, which is thought to be broccoli in oil. The food truck which sold the sandwiches has also been seized. An anti-toxin serum used to treat botulism is being distributed across Italy. 'The emergency procedure established in these cases has been activated, which requires immediate notification to the Poison Control Center in Pavia, the only national centre designated for the management of botulism,' the Calabria Region's Department of Health and Welfare said. 'No region or hospital in the country is authorised to store the antivenom in their own facilities. 'This serum, however, is exclusively available to the Ministry of Health, which holds it in designated secure locations and distributes it only through the Lombardy Poison Control Centre. 'The first two vials, used for the first patients, were sent directly from the Military Pharmacy in Taranto. 'However, as the number of cases increased, additional supplies became necessary. 'Yesterday, the Calabria Region, through Azienda Zero, provided a 118 aircraft that flew to the San Camillo Hospital in Rome, where the ministry had centralised additional vials of the antivenom to facilitate distribution.' A friend of Di Sarno posted a tribute on Facebook. 'Rest in peace my friend and thank you for all your life and culture lessons since I was just a child. I always admired your character and will never forget your noble and kind soul. Watch over your loved ones. Here's who Luigi Di Sarno was,' Gennaro Russo wrote. It comes after eight people became ill with botulism last month in Sardinia, after eating infected guacamole at Fiesta Latina, reported Italian newspaper, La Repubblica. An 11-year-old boy remains in intensive care at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. A woman, 38, reportedly died after she ate a taco with guacamole at the same festival in the Cagliari hinterland.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
European Union mulls PFAS ban as toxic exposure spreads
Concern is mounting across Europe over toxic "forever chemicals," which studies show are present in our blood, food and water, often at unsafe levels. In recent years, several European countries have faced scandals involving industrial discharges of forever chemicals, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), into soil and waterways, creating serious health risks What are PFAS? PFAS are a group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals known for taking an extremely long time to break down They are widely used in products like non-stick pans, food packaging and waterproof clothing because of their ability to repel heat, water and oil While useful, the exposure to PFAS, even at low levels over time, has been linked to a range of health issues: liver damage, high cholesterol, weakened immune responses, low birth weights and several types of cancer Are there PFAS in our blood? The European Environment Agency (EEA) examined a series of studies on the levels of PFAS in teenagers' blood across nine countries It found that 14.3 per cent had concentrations above acceptable levels, with significant variation: from just 1.3 per cent in Spain to 23.8 per cent in France France leads in legislation France has introduced some of Europe's toughest regulations on PFAS passing a law in February banning the use of the substances in cosmetics, clothing, shoes and ski waxes starting in 2026 A broader ban on PFAS in textiles coming into force in 2030 Belgium's twin PFAS crises In the Belgian region of Wallonia, public anger erupted in 2023 after an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed that warnings about PFAS contamination were ignored for years The US military, operating from a base in the small city of Chièvres, had flagged high PFAS levels in local water in 2017 after an incident involving firefighting foam, a substance made with large amounts of PFAS Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chièvres in early 2024 and authorities said almost 1300 people across approximately 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks Jail time for polluters in Italy In June, an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with PFAS Netherlands: Everyone has PFAS in their blood A nationwide study by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) found PFAS in all 1500 blood samples tested, with nearly every case exceeding health-based safety limits What is the EU doing? 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The European Environment Agency (EEA) examined a series of studies on the levels of PFAS in teenagers' blood across nine countries It found that 14.3 per cent had concentrations above acceptable levels, with significant variation: from just 1.3 per cent in Spain to 23.8 per cent in France France leads in legislation France has introduced some of Europe's toughest regulations on PFAS passing a law in February banning the use of the substances in cosmetics, clothing, shoes and ski waxes starting in 2026 A broader ban on PFAS in textiles coming into force in 2030 Belgium's twin PFAS crises In the Belgian region of Wallonia, public anger erupted in 2023 after an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed that warnings about PFAS contamination were ignored for years The US military, operating from a base in the small city of Chièvres, had flagged high PFAS levels in local water in 2017 after an incident involving firefighting foam, a substance made with large amounts of PFAS Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chièvres in early 2024 and authorities said almost 1300 people across approximately 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks Jail time for polluters in Italy In June, an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with PFAS Netherlands: Everyone has PFAS in their blood A nationwide study by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) found PFAS in all 1500 blood samples tested, with nearly every case exceeding health-based safety limits What is the EU doing? In 2023, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency calling for a blanket ban on all PFAS It is currently under a review by European scientific committees, which is scheduled to conclude in 2026 The European Commission said it will consider a ban on consumer uses, but if alternatives can't be found for critical industrial uses, the use of PFAS may be allowed An EU-wide PFAS monitoring framework is also on the cards to collect data and map pollution hotspots Not all countries equally affected In Slovenia, the national health laboratory says the country lacks heavy industry using PFAS and has found only minimal contamination in past testing However, the Slovenian Consumers' Association did find chemicals from the PFAS group in almost one third of everyday products that they tested, including some that are banned in the European Union Bulgaria was among the countries with the lowest percentage of water bodies exceeding the PFOS (a type of PFAS) environmental quality standard in 2022, according to the EEA As the EU mulls a potential ban, the true cost of PFAS on people and the environment is coming into focus Concern is mounting across Europe over toxic "forever chemicals," which studies show are present in our blood, food and water, often at unsafe levels. In recent years, several European countries have faced scandals involving industrial discharges of forever chemicals, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), into soil and waterways, creating serious health risks What are PFAS? PFAS are a group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals known for taking an extremely long time to break down They are widely used in products like non-stick pans, food packaging and waterproof clothing because of their ability to repel heat, water and oil While useful, the exposure to PFAS, even at low levels over time, has been linked to a range of health issues: liver damage, high cholesterol, weakened immune responses, low birth weights and several types of cancer Are there PFAS in our blood? The European Environment Agency (EEA) examined a series of studies on the levels of PFAS in teenagers' blood across nine countries It found that 14.3 per cent had concentrations above acceptable levels, with significant variation: from just 1.3 per cent in Spain to 23.8 per cent in France France leads in legislation France has introduced some of Europe's toughest regulations on PFAS passing a law in February banning the use of the substances in cosmetics, clothing, shoes and ski waxes starting in 2026 A broader ban on PFAS in textiles coming into force in 2030 Belgium's twin PFAS crises In the Belgian region of Wallonia, public anger erupted in 2023 after an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed that warnings about PFAS contamination were ignored for years The US military, operating from a base in the small city of Chièvres, had flagged high PFAS levels in local water in 2017 after an incident involving firefighting foam, a substance made with large amounts of PFAS Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chièvres in early 2024 and authorities said almost 1300 people across approximately 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks Jail time for polluters in Italy In June, an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with PFAS Netherlands: Everyone has PFAS in their blood A nationwide study by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) found PFAS in all 1500 blood samples tested, with nearly every case exceeding health-based safety limits What is the EU doing? In 2023, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency calling for a blanket ban on all PFAS It is currently under a review by European scientific committees, which is scheduled to conclude in 2026 The European Commission said it will consider a ban on consumer uses, but if alternatives can't be found for critical industrial uses, the use of PFAS may be allowed An EU-wide PFAS monitoring framework is also on the cards to collect data and map pollution hotspots Not all countries equally affected In Slovenia, the national health laboratory says the country lacks heavy industry using PFAS and has found only minimal contamination in past testing However, the Slovenian Consumers' Association did find chemicals from the PFAS group in almost one third of everyday products that they tested, including some that are banned in the European Union Bulgaria was among the countries with the lowest percentage of water bodies exceeding the PFOS (a type of PFAS) environmental quality standard in 2022, according to the EEA As the EU mulls a potential ban, the true cost of PFAS on people and the environment is coming into focus Concern is mounting across Europe over toxic "forever chemicals," which studies show are present in our blood, food and water, often at unsafe levels. In recent years, several European countries have faced scandals involving industrial discharges of forever chemicals, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), into soil and waterways, creating serious health risks What are PFAS? PFAS are a group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals known for taking an extremely long time to break down They are widely used in products like non-stick pans, food packaging and waterproof clothing because of their ability to repel heat, water and oil While useful, the exposure to PFAS, even at low levels over time, has been linked to a range of health issues: liver damage, high cholesterol, weakened immune responses, low birth weights and several types of cancer Are there PFAS in our blood? The European Environment Agency (EEA) examined a series of studies on the levels of PFAS in teenagers' blood across nine countries It found that 14.3 per cent had concentrations above acceptable levels, with significant variation: from just 1.3 per cent in Spain to 23.8 per cent in France France leads in legislation France has introduced some of Europe's toughest regulations on PFAS passing a law in February banning the use of the substances in cosmetics, clothing, shoes and ski waxes starting in 2026 A broader ban on PFAS in textiles coming into force in 2030 Belgium's twin PFAS crises In the Belgian region of Wallonia, public anger erupted in 2023 after an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed that warnings about PFAS contamination were ignored for years The US military, operating from a base in the small city of Chièvres, had flagged high PFAS levels in local water in 2017 after an incident involving firefighting foam, a substance made with large amounts of PFAS Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chièvres in early 2024 and authorities said almost 1300 people across approximately 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks Jail time for polluters in Italy In June, an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with PFAS Netherlands: Everyone has PFAS in their blood A nationwide study by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) found PFAS in all 1500 blood samples tested, with nearly every case exceeding health-based safety limits What is the EU doing? In 2023, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency calling for a blanket ban on all PFAS It is currently under a review by European scientific committees, which is scheduled to conclude in 2026 The European Commission said it will consider a ban on consumer uses, but if alternatives can't be found for critical industrial uses, the use of PFAS may be allowed An EU-wide PFAS monitoring framework is also on the cards to collect data and map pollution hotspots Not all countries equally affected In Slovenia, the national health laboratory says the country lacks heavy industry using PFAS and has found only minimal contamination in past testing However, the Slovenian Consumers' Association did find chemicals from the PFAS group in almost one third of everyday products that they tested, including some that are banned in the European Union Bulgaria was among the countries with the lowest percentage of water bodies exceeding the PFOS (a type of PFAS) environmental quality standard in 2022, according to the EEA As the EU mulls a potential ban, the true cost of PFAS on people and the environment is coming into focus
West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Sasha Dean: Mum who almost died after a botched BBL relieved over cosmetic surgery law changes
After falling into a coma and being given just a five per cent chance of survival after a botched Brazilian bum lift (BBL) procedure, a mother has shared her relief following a government decision to crack down on unregulated cosmetic surgeries. Sasha Dean, 54, who operates a transport business in Bedfordshire, experienced catastrophic health complications, including multi-organ failure, just days after receiving a filler injection in her buttocks to enhance volume in December 2023. Rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack, kidney failure, and a collapsed lung, Ms Dean was placed into an induced coma as medical teams fought to save her life. The recent announcement from the British Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, pledging stricter regulations on rogue cosmetic practitioners brought immense comfort to Ms Dean. Describing her reaction, Ms Dean said the new measures 'meant the world' to her. 'It's amazing that there has only been one death so far. That's tragic enough. It could have been many, many, more. If there had been it would have broken my heart,' she told The Mirror . Ms Dean was in hospital for five agonising weeks as her family was warned by medical staff to prepare for the worst. Incredibly, after a long battle with sepsis, she pulled through. She is now a passionate advocate for tighter controls on the cosmetic surgery industry, determined to prevent further tragedies. Ms Dean underwent a liquid BBL, which is an approach that uses synthetic fillers, typically hyaluronic acid, administered directly into the buttocks. She had previously visited a cosmetic clinic on three occasions, however, on her fourth session she was offered a discounted rate if the practitioner could perform the procedure at their home. 'At first glance, it looked sterile enough until I was laying down and my partner noticed the state of my feet, they were black.' At that moment, the practitioner's mother entered the room and told her daughter off for not cleaning up the room. 'I remember thinking this is not good enough but it's too late now,' Ms Dean said. In an interview with ITV , Ms Dean choked back tears as she recounted the complications she experienced soon after the procedure that led to her being taken to intensive care. 'I was vomiting...I was fitting, I had a heart attack. I think at this stage my lungs were collapsing, I had pneumonia, my kidneys were failing. 'And basically, (paramedics) said that 'everything we're doing is not working'.' Ms Dean revealed she has ended up with a leaking heart valve and experiences chronic fatigue. 'Everyday, there's something else.' Despite suffering from PTSD from the shocking ordeal, Ms Dean is relieved by the recent law changes.
