Although the Department of Health is still not aware of the exact cause of the outbreak of gastroenteritis at the casa Verde Old People’s Home in Guardamar they have taken the precautionary measure of closing the centre’s kitchen.
They still maintain that the occurrence, from which two elderly residents died at the weekend and a further 18 were admitted to Torrevieja Hospital, was most likely caused by food poisoning although a vrial outbreak cannot be ruled out, but they are currently are unable to be more specific.
Of the 18 who were admitted to hospital 5 are still receiving treatment while the other 13 have been discharged.
A statement from the Valencian Public Health Authority said that they have suspended the activity in the kitchen of the nursing home Casaverde, Guardamar del Segura in a precautionary manner until all of the corrective measures proposed by the department’s inspectors have been adopted.
The residence is a private centre although many of the patients have been placed by the Ministry of Health.
This is the first time that a health problem of this nature has occurred. The Casaverde home is a very sought after facility in an area with a high foreign population of advanced age. The mayor of Guardamar, José Luis Sáez, said that more than 80% of residents are people who come from other locations.
