Guests at a party in Beernem infected with intestinal infection, 8 visitors to hospital

The people became infected at a party that took place in a banquet hall in Beernem. Of the fifty people present, at least twenty people became infected with the highly contagious intestinal infection. Contamination can occur from person to person or through contaminated food. That is why the FASFC took samples of the food.

Very contagious

The Department of Care conducts investigations into the persons and staff members present. “We are now mapping exactly how many people have become ill and how many people have been admitted to hospital,” says Joris Moonens of the Care Department. “Shigellosis is very contagious. If someone was infected at the party, it can quickly spread from person to person. If someone who prepared the food was infected, it could also have been passed on through the food. Also through contaminated objects such as toilets or towels, the disease can spread.”

Stool samples

The Department of Care conducts investigations into the persons and staff members present. On the one hand, they are asked about who got sick and when, possibly before the party and whether they recently went on a trip. “Shigellosis is more common in some other countries,” says Moonens. Stool samples are taken from sick people and staff to investigate whether they are infected with the shigella bacteria.”

The FASFC examines food samples. All samples are analyzed by Sciensano. All attendees at the party were advised to practice very rigorous hand hygiene. The necessary disinfections have been carried out in the banquet hall itself, which consists of several rooms. Follow-up samples will be taken by the FASFC. Until then, the sanitary block where the party took place will remain closed. Other customers who were present in one of the other rooms were also questioned. This shows that there were no other sick people.

Measures complied with

The FASFC reports that the first observations on site showed that the necessary hygiene measures regarding food were being complied with. Shigellosis is caused by infection with a shigella bacterium. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Shigellosis can be serious and cause complications such as dehydration, serious intestinal disorders and in rare cases blood poisoning. An infection is severe, but usually heals spontaneously after five to ten days. Shigellosis occurs sporadically in Flanders with around two hundred reported cases per year.