The Lanzarote Health Area has justified that the Monumento al Campesino restaurant remains open to the public, stating that, after an inspection, it was found that there was “no risk to health.”
This was stated on Radio Lanzarote - Onda Cero by the director of the Lanzarote Health Area, Noelia Umpiérrez. In addition, she explained that the number of people affected by food poisoning has increased to 39, three more than those reported by Health last Monday, of the 222 diners who attended a meal at the Monumento al Capesino. The Ministry points out that all those who have suffered this toxinfection have presented "mild symptoms", such as gastroenteritis or some colic, which in no case have required hospital admission.
“This establishment has quite correct continuous analyses, that is why the activity is not stopped, because an inspection is carried out and it is verified that all the procedures are correct and it is working well”, says Umpiérrez, who adds that when an establishment is closed it is usually “for cleaning reasons”, or because “there is some problem”, which in this case, according to Health, does not exist.
The director of the Health Area has explained the procedure that has been carried out by the Ministry of Health: “We went to the establishment and carried out a general inspection, the food was immobilized and samples were taken for later analysis in an accredited laboratory in Gran Canaria”. In addition, the Health Department has also carried out analyses of the feces of the food handlers at the restaurant, in an attempt to find out the origin of the problem, in case it could come from a worker. However, Umpiérrez states that “there are no people affected”, a priori, among the staff.
“When it is a specific thing, you have to find out why. Maybe some product or batch has been purchased that was not in good condition. A study of the patients is carried out because all possibilities are tried to be found,” she points out.
While waiting for the results, the director of the Area states that for the moment they have no clear conclusion as to what has caused this toxinfection, and points out that these final results of the analyses carried out will not be known until next week. In addition, Umpiérrez predicts that the number of people affected will not increase and will remain at 39, since a week has passed since the meal where the problem originated.