Artist, 52, struck down by killer broccoli as 9 rushed to hospital
Luigi di Sarno, 52, died after contracting botulism, a rare and fatal disease, from a broccoli and sausage sandwich (Picture: Facebook)
One person has died and nine people were rushed to hospital after an outbreak of botulism in broccoli.
Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed and died after buying a broccoli and sausage sandwich from a kiosk in Diamante, Calabria in southern Italy.
Patients being treated in intensive care at the Annunziata hospital in Cosenza include two 17-year-olds and two women in their 40s.
Di Sarno was driving back to his home in Napoli when he began to feel unwell.
He ended up stopping in Lagonegro in Potenza province, where he sadly passed away.
Local health authorities have activated emergency measures after the botulism outbreak was tracked to a shipment of jarred broccoli in oil.
Cases of the rare and life-threatening disease were found in other Italian regions.
Di Sarno was driving back from Cosenza province when he suddenly started to feel unwell and died just hours later (Picture: Facebook)
What is botulism?
Botulism is a rare and sometimes life-threatening disease caused by toxins produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria.
Historically contracted due to improperly canned food, the toxins attack the nervous system, leading to muscle paralysis.
More recently in the UK, patients were diagnosed with botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.
Symptoms include blurred vision, fatigue and difficulties breathing.
Around 5 to 10 per cent of cases are fatal, according to the NHS.
Because a majority of doctors have never encountered it, initial misdiagnosis is not uncommon.
It came as Roberta Pitzalis, 38, died from complications after eating a guacamole from a stand at a gastronomic festival in Cagliari, Sardinia.
According to La Repubblica, her condition had appeared to stabilise before she suddenly deteriorated.
An 11-year-old boy who also attended the Monserrato Latina festival and had eaten a taco with guacamole, was transferred by helicopter to Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
He remains in a stable condition but has yet to make a recovery.
Authorities in Cagliari have launched an investigation into the outbreak.
Experts are advising people to exercise caution when buying risky foods and avoid eating canned or jarred products where the safety button has popped up, indicating the container has not been properly sealed.
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