RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

2010-03-16 08:13:27 - Epidemic Hazard - Dominican Republic

EDIS CODE: EH-20100316-25346-DOM
Date & Time: 2010-03-16 08:13:27 [UTC]
Area: Dominican Republic, Departmento de Sánchez Ramírez, Barrick Gold Mine (Gold), Cotuí

Number of Infected person(s): 200
Damage level: Moderate (Level 2)

Not confirmed information!

Description:

Around 200 employees at a gold mine in the northeastern Dominican town of Cotui suffered food poisoning, according to an executive of Canadian-owned Barrick Gold. Emergency services personnel, however, said 400 people were affected. The workers grew sick after eating meals provided by Sodexo, an outside contractor, Barrick Gold's Fernando Sanchez told Z-101 radio Monday. He described the situation as 'manageable' and 'not in the least alarming'. Only 200 of the 3,500 employees at the Pueblo Viejo mine fell sick after the food, Sanchez said. But the regional director of the COE emergency management agency, Edwin Olivarez, said earlier Monday that 400 workers were affected, two of them seriously. The Dominican Health Minister, police and other institutions have opened an investigation into the incident. Physicians at the public hospital in Cotui said mine employees's symptoms included vomiting and severe headaches.

The name of Hazard: Food Poisoning
Species: Human
Status: Confirmed

Posted:2010-03-16 08:13:27 [UTC]