Going public: Seven people struck by campy in UK but public health body refuses to name restaurant it closed down

Wales Online reports that a public health body says it will not name a Cardiff restaurant at the centre of a food poisoning outbreak.

wales.food.rating.19Public Health Wales says it is “satisfied” that the situation – which led to seven people being confirmed with the campylobacter infection – has been dealt with and there is “no risk to public health.”

The victims ate at the restaurant during the weekend of May 16, and two people are also suspected to have the infection.

At the end of last week, Public Health Wales, the Regulatory Service for Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend councils, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and the Food Standards Agency said they were working together to investigate an outbreak of campylobacter with links to the restaurant.

The restaurant is not being named despite the fact that new laws require all premises dealing with food to openly display their food hygiene ratings.

Facebook user Claire Drewen said: “That is wrong! The public have a right to know. Public Health Wales should release the name. Maybe people would like to avoid the restaurant when it reopens.”

But Greg Cannon said: “Why can’t we have an intelligent debate rather than scaremongering? There is probably a very good legal as well as commercial argument for not naming; but in the age of social media all it takes is one Facebook or Twitter post and the name is known. PHW might avoid the legal case and the public still get the information they think they need.”