In an apparent case of food poisoning, nearly 70 employees of the five-star Shangri La Eros Hotel in Lutyens’ Delhi took ill on Wednesday afternoon after having lunch from the hotel’s staff canteen. As the employees started complaining of uneasiness and stomach pain and many of them began vomiting they were rushed to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for treatment.
“It appears to be a case of food poisoning and we administered preliminary treatment to the patients at the hospital’s emergency unit and later shifted them to the wards. We got over 50 patients from the hotel this afternoon with symptoms of food poisoning. The patients told us that the symptoms were noticed after they consumed food and drinks at the hotel’s staff canteen. None of the patients is serious and their condition is stable. While we have discharged a majority of them after treatment, doctors have kept a few under observation and they too will be discharged soon,” said hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. T.S. Sidhu.
According to the hospital administration, the employees complained of uneasiness after having lunch at the canteen of the hotel at around 4 p.m. “Late afternoon more than 70 colleagues reported feeling unwell. The hotel's in-house doctor immediately attended to them and subsequently, some were sent to RML Hospital for further medical assistance. The hotel is now extending its fullest cooperation with the health authorities to determine the cause and will conduct an internal investigation as well,” noted a release from Shangri La’s Eros Hotel.
The hotel authorities added that “the management team is closely monitoring the health status of the colleagues and will render any required assistance during this time”.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 337 of the Indian Penal Code for causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others. “In all, 54 hotel staffers were taken to hospital. All of them are stated to be out of danger. Prima facie, it is a case of food poisoning,” said a police officer.
Hotel employees, who were affected by food poisoning, said most of them felt uneasy after consuming food and drinks at the hotel and then complained to the administration about it. “Later some employees started vomiting and others complained of extreme cramps which forced the hotel administration into action,” said an employee at the hotel who was discharged after treatment from the hospital.
