Gas leak or food poisoning ?

Hotel management, doctors lock horns:

by Carol Aloysius

The controversy over what caused 12 guests to fall ill and end up being hospitalised during the recent Sri Lanka -UK Friendship Society dinner to celebrate the Queen’s birthday, has led to the Management of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel and doctors locking horns over what actually triggered off the sudden illness among the guests.

While Hotel authorities maintain that food poisoning was the likely cause, doctors who treated the patients are reportedly of the view that the symptoms the patients had when they were admitted, pointed to a possible gas leak, which may have been from an air conditioner.

However, both groups say the actual cause would be known once lab tests from food and beverages samples are finalised.

The Cinnamon Grand Hotel Management when contacted, rejected claims of poisoning from an air condition leak, as reported in several media.

They also refuted allegations of a gas leak from cooking stoves and even rat poisoning. “All these are wild speculation. They are baseless and have absolutely no conclusive evidence to prove them,” a hotel spokesperson said on grounds of anonymity.

Air conditioning

Hotel sources also said air conditioning systems in the hotel and the rooms have been certified by the Environment Impact Authority (EIA. “It is a super cooling centralised system,” they said.

However, due to these allegations, the Hotel management had initiated an internal inquiry and was looking at the issue from all angles.

Meanwhile, lab sources from the Medical Research Institute (MRI) and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Microbiology Lab said they had received several samples of food and beverage that were served at the event.

“We are now in the process of testing them. It will take at least four to five days,” a spokesperson from the CMC said while the MRI spokesperson said it would take at least “a week, to come to any definite conclusion.”

Chief Medical Officer, CMC, Dr Ruwan Wijeymuni told the Sunday Observer, the Hotel had sent 11 samples of food and beverages served on that day.

“One set went to the Medical Research Institute and the other to the City Microbiology Laboratory which comes under my purview,” he said.

“Due to the urgency of the situation, I called the Deputy Director General of Health services to expedite the release of the tests being conducted..

“ We can only take any action under the Food Act , based on what these reports say,”

“Till then we cannot comment on what course of action we will be taking,” he added.

As for whether it was food poisoning or a gas leak, the question continues to hang in the balance. Senior Professor of Forensic and Toxicology, University of Colombo, Prof. Ravindra Fernando when asked for his views on the symptoms of food poisoning and refrigerant poisoning?

Food poisoning, happened commonly due to bacterial contamination of food and causes gastroenteritis. “Usually, this is a self-limiting mild illness. Rarely, severe or fatal poisoning can occur, especially among children and elderly. Food poisoning can occur from chemical contamination of food. With bacterial food poisoning,”

Manifested

Gastroenteritis is manifested by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea, he said, explaining that diarrhoea and vomiting may lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and hypertension. “There may be fever and passing of blood with stools,” he said.

The clinical features and their progress vary according to the type of toxins produced and usually appear within 12 to 36 hours, he said, explaining that nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal cramps, weakness and dry mouth are the early features.

“In Clostridium botulinum, food poisoning neurological manifestations including double vision, dilated pupils, blurred vision and difficulty in speaking, opening the mouth and swallowing occur. Muscle weakness follows,” he said, adding “This can cause respiratory failure and death.”

With regard to refrigerant poisoning he observed, “ Refrigerant poisoning happens when someone is exposed to the chemicals used to cool appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners.

“Refrigerant contains chemicals called fluorinated hydrocarbons (often referred to by a common brand name, ‘Freon’). Freon is a tasteless, odourless gas. When it is deeply inhaled it may cut off vital oxygen to lungs and cells.

“ Symptoms of mild to moderate poisoning are different from those with severe poisoning,” he said. In mild to moderate poisoning , look out for, irritation of the eyes, ears, and throat· headache, nausea, vomiting, frostbite, cough, chemical burn to the skin Symptoms of severe poisoning on the other hand include, Fluid build up or bleeding in the lungs

* decreased mental status

* difficult, laboured breathing

* irregular heartbeat

* loss of consciousness

* seizures

According to the police eight guests received in house treatment while the organisers said twenty were admitted for treatment. Contrary to reports the organizers said none of the food were taken from outside.