Mass food poisoning incident at a wedding reception in Limassol

Dozens of guests suffered from food poisoning following a wedding reception in Limassol. Dr. Vasos Oikonomou, former chair of the Cyprus Medical Association's ethics committee, described such digestive infections as rarely fatal, though they pose risks to the elderly and those with underlying health issues. Emphasizing food hygiene, Dr. Oikonomou recommended thorough handwashing and avoiding shared utensils. Meanwhile, Christos Kourtis, a senior chemist at the State General Laboratory, confirmed the severity of this specific incident. However, Kourtis noted that while hundreds of large-scale events occur annually, reported poisoning cases remain statistically low. Officials highlighted the difficulty of linking specific complaints to events due to the time elapsed before reporting and the turnover of food supplies. Consequently, investigations often rely on testing food samples from subsequent events at the same venues.