Approximately 40 wedding guests sought medical assessment following a suspected food poisoning outbreak at the Hotel Estival Torrequebrada in Benalmádena, Spain. The incident occurred during a reception held on Saturday, October 10, at the four-star venue located west of Málaga.
A Sudden Turn at the Reception
The festivities began at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday with a drinks reception. Guests were served a menu that included cured ham, salmorejo, prawn risotto, meat with hollandaise sauce, and a mille-feuille dessert. By 2:00 a.m. that night, the first symptoms appeared. Others fell ill the following morning.
Approximately 80 guests were present at the event, meaning about half of the total attendees were affected. Those who became ill reported that they “have no idea what it could have been” that triggered the outbreak.
Urgent Medical Evaluation
The severity of the illness forced many guests to seek professional help. Some attendees reported they were unable to drive themselves to medical facilities due to the intensity of their symptoms, including muscle fatigue and fever. Some required ambulance transport for assessment. One guest noted: “If a couple were affected, whichever felt slightly better drove, but there were couples where neither was well enough to drive and they had to call an ambulance to get to hospital.” While many were assessed at hospitals, none of the affected individuals were admitted for inpatient care.
Official Inquiry Underway
Inspectors from the Health Protection Unit are currently conducting site visits and collecting samples of the food served during the wedding to identify the source of the illness.
Hotel Response and Precedent
A spokesperson for the hotel stated that they are cooperating with the ongoing investigation. “As the relevant investigations and analyses are still ongoing, we are not in a position to provide any additional comments beyond the information contained in that communication,” the representative told The Sun. “We appreciate your understanding and will provide further updates should additional verified information become available.”
Status of the Investigation
Health officials have not yet identified the specific cause of the illness.