More than 100 tourists have fallen ill following a suspected salmonella poisoning at a four-star hotel in Spain.
A 15-month-old baby and seven children are among 20 victims rushed to hospital after the incident at the Izan Cavanna Hotel in the resort of La Manga near Murcia.
As many as 28 cases were reported initially, but by yesterday the number of people with health problems had jumped to over 100 of the 800 guests.
The poisoning has escalated so quickly that a field hospital has also been set up at the seafront hotel.
Guests have been struck down with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and even fever in some cases following a lunch at the hotel.
All children were taken to Santa Lucia Hospital in the nearby port city of Cartagena to be treated.
Health inspectors have taken samples from the kitchen at the hotel, which has now been closed, as part of an ongoing investigation.
Regional government health sources said overnight they were treating it as a probable salmonella poisoning outbreak.
It was not immediately clear how many British tourists are staying at the hotel, which describes itself online as one of the most emblematic hotels on Spain’s Costa Calida.
It has a buffet restaurant now under investigation and a beach bar and restaurant as well as an English pub which the hotel website is saying is temporarily closed.
The hotel published a Facebook post advertising its cocktails and mojitos early yesterday – but said nothing about its guests’ health problems on the social media site.
In response a Spanish holidaymaker staying at the hotel replied: ‘Hello, I am still staying in room 826, and yesterday more than 40 people were affected by food poisoning from a spoiled product at the buffet.
‘I am at the Santa Lucia Hospital in Cartagena because my wife is one of those affected and she is eight months pregnant and has been admitted to the hospital.
‘I left the hotel at 4.30am on Sunday. I spoke with the hotel at 9am to inform them of the seriousness of the situation and my wife’s delicate condition, and now it is 2.20pm and I still haven’t received a call from anyone at the hotel.
‘My belongings and my wife’s belongings are still in the room, as we have a reservation until Monday.
‘I’m calling the hotel and no one is answering the phone at this time of day. We need answers.’
Izan Cavanna Hotel is yet to publish any official comment on its Instagram, Facebook or website.
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