More than 100 tourists, including a 15-month-old baby and seven children, have fallen ill with suspected salmonella poisoning at the four-star Izan Cavanna Hotel in La Manga, Spain.
The outbreak struck during the busy summer holiday season, leaving at least 20 guests hospitalised. Two patients, including a baby and a child, remain under treatment at Santa Lucía Hospital in Cartagena, while others were assessed and later discharged. A field hospital was set up at the seafront hotel as guests were treated for nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever.
Ambulances were seen arriving at the hotel on Saturday as some holidaymakers were placed on hydration drips in their rooms or on stretchers in hotel corridors. Initial tests suggest salmonella, though investigations continue.
The hotel’s kitchen has been temporarily closed for cleaning and disinfection. However, frustrated guests accused management of failing to act quickly or provide information. One British tourist, whose pregnant wife was hospitalised, said: “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. My wife is eight months pregnant and has been admitted to the hospital. I spoke with the hotel at 9am to inform them of the seriousness of the situation … and now it is 2.20pm and I still haven’t received a call from anyone at the hotel.”
Other visitors criticised both the response to the health scare and the hotel’s overall standards. Guests described the food as “sincerely bland” and “horror-movie like”, with one claiming they were served “defrosted hake and fries floating in water.” Another said the rooms felt like “a time machine straight to the 1970s, but not in a charming retro way.”
A Spanish woman, identified only as Susan, said her teenage daughter was discharged too soon: “The hospital discharged my 15-year-old daughter when she was still suffering from fever and dehydration. We found her alone in the car park, weak and dizzy. She’s worse than she was before.”
Several families reportedly cut short their holidays after registering complaints. New arrivals on Sunday, August 24, claimed they were not warned about the outbreak and were served lunch at the buffet before it was closed.
Some guests believe a fish dish or spinach-filled pasta may have been the source, but officials have not confirmed the cause. The hotel has not issued a public statement on its website or social media accounts, despite growing criticism.
Salmonella infections can cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and fever within six hours to six days of infection, usually lasting up to a week. While most cases resolve without treatment, severe illness can occur, particularly in vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, or pregnant women.
