Tag Archives: Majorca

Salmonella in Spain: 50 UK holidaymakers hit

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Brett Gibbons and James Rodger of Birmingham Live report that more than 50 people have been struck by salmonella in Majorca.

Holidaymakers are among those affected by the outbreak of the deadly food poisoning on the holiday island.

A La Liga footballer, who plays for Real Mallorca, is among those affected.

The player has not been named.

The outbreak comes after a listeria epidemic, which affected hundreds in the Andalusia region on the Spanish mainland.

The source of the Majorca salmonella outbreak is believed to be linked to a Japanese restaurant in the island capital of Palma, reports WalesOnline.

It has since been closed as a preventative measure.

The first cases were reported last week, according to the local Ultima Hora newspaper.

Emergency units on the island received several patients reporting food poisoning symptoms after eating at the restaurant, which as then identified as the source of the illness.

The Balearic Islands’ public health department says the number of cases could rise even higher because some are not reported immediately when initial symptoms are less severe.

Proceedings against the restaurant have been opened by local government bodies.

Thousands of British holidaymakers visit Majorca each year with many heading to resorts like Magaluf and Palma Nova that are just a short bus or taxi ride from the capital.

UK operator ordered to pay damages to tourists sickened in Spain

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British tourists always seem to be getting sick on their vacations to southern locales and they always seem to be battling with tour operators.

In 2003, a bunch went to Baulo Hotel in Majorca and contracted either salmonella from poorly prepared food or cryptosporidium from the swimming pool.

In 2006, the claimants initiated legal action.

Today a judge ruled that one of the UK’s largest tour operators should have warned holidaymakers about an outbreak of illness at a Spanish resort.

The judge said that Thomson, which is now part of the larger European Tui group, was liable for damages.

In what may have wider implications for the travel industry, the judge also ruled that Thomson ought to have warned guests about the outbreak at the hotel before they travelled, in order to give them an opportunity to either rebook or cancel, but had failed to do so.

Thomson accepted its liability in the salmonella cases, but argued that in the cases of cryptosporidium, it could not have done more to get rid of the illness from the resort, adding,

"We are very disappointed with the decision as we sincerely believe that we did everything in our power to safeguard our customers’ wellbeing at the time."

The company said the real winners would be "the ‘no win no fee’ solicitors involved."