80 hit by food poisoning: Two Malaga wedding outbreaks under investigation

Around 80 people have fallen ill following two wedding celebrations in Malaga province, with health officials investigating the latest outbreak in Iznate after salmonella was confirmed in an earlier case in Benalmadena.

One person affected by the Iznate outbreak is receiving treatment in intensive care at the Hospital Comarcal de la Axarquia in Velez-Malaga. At least 40 people have reported illness, and regional health authorities warn that the number could rise as further cases are identified. Investigators have not confirmed whether the two outbreaks are connected yet.

Iznate food poisoning leaves one person in intensive care

The Andalucian regional health authorities opened an investigation after around 40 people developed symptoms of suspected food poisoning following a wedding celebration in Iznate.
The source of the illness has not yet been established, but initial testing reportedly detected salmonella in a sample from an affected person. However, further results are needed before the full picture becomes clear.

Symptoms associated with the outbreak have raised concern because of the number of people affected and the hospitalisation of one guest. Health officials are working to establish what caused the illness and whether additional cases will be reported.

Benalmadena wedding outbreak confirmed as salmonella

A separate incident affected more than 40 people who attended a wedding at the four-star Hotel Estival Torrequebrada in Benalmadena on Saturday, October 10. Guests began feeling unwell after eating the wedding banquet, with reported symptoms including diarrhoea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. Several people sought medical attention, although initial reports from health authorities said no guests required hospital admission.

That picture later changed after reports emerged that two hotel workers had been hospitalised, including a waiter who said he had eaten food from the wedding menu. The menu included appetisers such as cured ham and salmorejo, followed by prawn risotto, meat served with hollandaise sauce and mille-feuille pastry for dessert.

Laboratory investigations subsequently confirmed salmonella as the cause of the Benalmadena outbreak. However, the precise food responsible has not been conclusively identified in the reports available.

Could the two Malaga outbreaks be connected?

The timing and similar number of people affected have raised questions about a possible connection between the incidents. Both involved wedding celebrations, and salmonella has been detected in the Iznate investigation while confirmed as the cause of the Benalmadena outbreak.

However, those similarities do not prove that the incidents share a source. Investigators would need to compare laboratory results, including the bacterial strains, and examine whether the events had any common food suppliers or other links. No official connection between the two outbreaks has been announced.

What are the symptoms of salmonella?

Salmonella infection can cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Symptoms often begin within hours or days of consuming contaminated food. Most healthy adults recover without serious complications, but the infection can be more dangerous for older people, young children and those with weakened immune systems.

Spain’s food safety agency, AESAN, provides official information about salmonella and foodborne illness.

For diners in Malaga province, the immediate message is to take suspected food poisoning seriously and seek medical advice if symptoms are severe or persistent. Investigations into both incidents are continuing, with the source of the Iznate outbreak still to be established.