‘Thought it was the flu’: more sick after eating at hotel buffet

More possible victims of a case of suspected food poisoning at a prominent hotel have come forward.

A provincial government spokeswoman said two more reports came in on Friday after an article was published in the Free Press.

It brings the official total to 17 people who have complained they got sick after eating at a buffet at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre at 1808 Wellington Ave., last weekend.

However, the Free Press heard from others who got sick but didn’t report it.

“I thought it was the flu,” one woman said, adding her illness started Sunday night. “But both my husband and myself were at the same event and we ate at the buffet.

“I had diarrhea and fever and chills for two days and my husband was just throwing up and had diarrhea. We are still feeling the effects.”

The woman said she and her husband haven’t reported they were sick, but a couple they know, who also became sick, did make a complaint Friday after reading the newspaper story. She knows of three others who said they had been ill.

As well, one other person contacted the paper and said they also became sick Sunday night.

The provincial spokeswoman said earlier this week that health inspectors had been to the hotel twice to take samples and check things like hot holding temperatures and cooking and reheating procedures.

”Investigations are considered complete once the operator has met the department’s requirements and no further complaints are received,” the spokeswoman said.

A hotel manager said Thursday they are co-operating with health inspectors.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca