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More than 130 resident doctors fell ill last month after eating food suspected to have been contaminated with salmonella at the cafeteria of a hospital in Mexico City, authorities and affected doctors said on Monday.
Dozens of doctors protested outside Eduardo Liceaga Hospital in a central neighbourhood of the Mexican capital, where the outbreak was reported.
One affected doctor, who asked not to be identified, told AFP that the illness began after breakfast on August 31, which included eggs. She said most of those affected developed symptoms by that night.
The doctor also alleged that the cafeteria served spoiled food, including food containing worms and mould, and that the hospital frequently experienced water shortages.
“We assume it was from the breakfast on August 31 — some eggs — and by that night, almost all of us were sick,” one of the affected individuals told AFP.
“The food was spoiled, with worms and mold, and we’re constantly without water,” she said.
The hospital, which is part of Mexico’s federal health network, said an outbreak was detected on the last day of August following a sudden rise in cases of gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting.
In a video shared on social media, Health Secretary David Kershenobich said the outbreak affected 135 resident physicians, with 41 requiring hospitalisation. He said all those affected were in good condition.
However, doctors who participated in the protest and statements sent to AFP put the number of cases at 227, with 67 people hospitalised, including 15 who required intensive care.
The hospital has a cafeteria reserved exclusively for resident physicians and specialist doctors, limiting the spread of the outbreak among the wider hospital staff.
Kershenobich said authorities would investigate the outbreak and review food service conditions across federal health institutions.
