An 11-year-old boy hospitalized at Rome’s Policlinico Gemelli with a suspected case of botulism may be discharged as early as next week. The child fell ill after eating a taco with guacamole sauce purchased from a stall at the “Fiesta Latina” event in Monserrato, near Cagliari, at the end of July. The incident has resulted in two fatalities, prompting the Cagliari prosecutor’s office to open a manslaughter investigation. To date, the sole person under investigation is Cristian Gustavo Vincenti, the owner of the food stand that sold the guacamole.
The boy, who was initially airlifted by helicopter from Sardinia’s capital, is no longer in the pediatric intensive care unit, and his clinical condition is showing marked improvement. After a long period of intubation, he underwent several invasive procedures to secure a more stable breathing pattern and to reduce the risks associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, such as infections and nutritional difficulties.
There have been a total of eight suspected botulism cases linked to a potential outbreak connected to the late-July food festival in the Cagliari metropolitan area. Authorities are currently awaiting the results of laboratory analyses to confirm the presence of the botulinum toxin.