Latest news with #MonserratoLatinafestival
Metro
7 days ago
- Health
- Metro
Second person dies after eating toxic sandwich during botulism outbreak
Two people are now confirmed dead after eating broccoli and sausage sandwiches from an Italian food truck. 45-year-old Tamara D'Acunto is confirmed to have died after undergoing treatment in intensive care for botulism from lunch. Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, also died after buying the sandwich from a kiosk in Diamante, Calabria, in southern Italy. More than 17 people are in hospital, prompting the Public Prosecutor's Office to seize the jars of broccoli from the business. Cases of the rare and life-threatening disease were found in other Italian regions. Botulism is a rare and sometimes life-threatening disease caused by toxins produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Historically contracted due to improperly canned food, the toxins attack the nervous system, leading to muscle paralysis. More recently in the UK, patients were diagnosed with botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections. Symptoms include blurred vision, fatigue and difficulties breathing. Around 5 to 10 per cent of cases are fatal, according to the NHS. Because a majority of doctors have never encountered it, initial misdiagnosis is not uncommon. It came as Roberta Pitzalis, 38, died from complications after eating a guacamole from a stand at a gastronomic festival in Cagliari, Sardinia. According to La Repubblica, her condition had appeared to stabilise before she suddenly deteriorated. More Trending An 11-year-old boy who also attended the Monserrato Latina festival and had eaten a taco with guacamole, was transferred by helicopter to Rome's Gemelli hospital. He remains in a stable condition but has yet to make a recovery. Authorities in Cagliari have launched an investigation into the outbreak. Experts are advising people to exercise caution when buying risky foods and avoid eating canned or jarred products where the safety button has popped up, indicating the container has not been properly sealed. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Urgent recall of supermarket cheese over deadly Listeria bacteria fears MORE: Italy's 'best-kept secret' is the home of Tiramisù and just 30 minutes from Venice MORE: Houses destroyed and thousands evacuated after wildfires rage across Europe
Metro
10-08-2025
- Health
- Metro
Artist, 52, struck down by killer broccoli as 9 rushed to hospital
One person has died and nine people were rushed to hospital after an outbreak of botulism in broccoli. Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed and died after buying a broccoli and sausage sandwich from a kiosk in Diamante, Calabria in southern Italy. Patients being treated in intensive care at the Annunziata hospital in Cosenza include two 17-year-olds and two women in their 40s. Di Sarno was driving back to his home in Napoli when he began to feel unwell. He ended up stopping in Lagonegro in Potenza province, where he sadly passed away. Local health authorities have activated emergency measures after the botulism outbreak was tracked to a shipment of jarred broccoli in oil. Cases of the rare and life-threatening disease were found in other Italian regions. Botulism is a rare and sometimes life-threatening disease caused by toxins produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Historically contracted due to improperly canned food, the toxins attack the nervous system, leading to muscle paralysis. More recently in the UK, patients were diagnosed with botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections. Symptoms include blurred vision, fatigue and difficulties breathing. Around 5 to 10 per cent of cases are fatal, according to the NHS. Because a majority of doctors have never encountered it, initial misdiagnosis is not uncommon. It came as Roberta Pitzalis, 38, died from complications after eating a guacamole from a stand at a gastronomic festival in Cagliari, Sardinia. According to La Repubblica, her condition had appeared to stabilise before she suddenly deteriorated. More Trending An 11-year-old boy who also attended the Monserrato Latina festival and had eaten a taco with guacamole, was transferred by helicopter to Rome's Gemelli hospital. He remains in a stable condition but has yet to make a recovery. Authorities in Cagliari have launched an investigation into the outbreak. Experts are advising people to exercise caution when buying risky foods and avoid eating canned or jarred products where the safety button has popped up, indicating the container has not been properly sealed. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Baby's one in 1,000,000 condition was diagnosed after a comment about his head MORE: World's longest suspension bridge gets go-ahead linking Italy and Sicily MORE: Exact time of 'one of the biggest emergency drills in UK history' revealed
