Food contamination detected at Bahia Principe hotel, San Juan

In a statement released today, the Public Health Minister of the Dominican Republic, Bautista Rojas, confirmed that the presence of a non-lethal bacteria has been detected at the hotel Bahia Principe, San Juan. He also said that the outbreak of illness at the hotel Bahia Principe was ...caused by the ingestion of some dressing in the hotel's foods.

Clive Garner, Head of travel law at Irwin Mitchell solicitors, acting on behalf of more than 400 guests from the hotel said, "I am not surprised by the findings of the Dominican Republic authorities. Many of our clients have reported unacceptable health and hygiene conditions in the hotel. Obviously an outbreak of food poisoning is highly likely in these circumstances."

These latest findings by the Public Health Department in the Dominican Republic, together with the laboratory findings of Giardia Lamblia among some of our clients, point to a major break down in health and hygiene standards at the Bahia Principe and again I question why guests have been sent to this hotel in the recent past, when the risk to guest's health should have been evident.

"The latest findings also seem to cast doubt on statements made on behalf of tour operators, in which the Norovirus has been suggested as the cause of the outbreak. We will be inviting representatives of tour operators to enter early negotiations with a view to agreeing substantial compensation for all of our clients."

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