The health authorities are investigating reports of people suffering from gastroenteritis following a wedding reception in Kalkara on Thursday, with at least one person hospitalised.

The Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit has asked attendees at the wedding reception at Villa Bighi to fill in an online form indicating whether they had fallen ill, what kind of symptoms they had, and when.

They were also provided with a list of hot, cold and sweet canapés including fish, dairy and meat items, as well as so-called street-food station items, and asked to indicate which they had consumed. They were asked the same things about drinks and whether they had any ice in them.

Attendees were also asked whether they had any complaints about the food served at the event because it may have tasted bad or was not warm enough, among other reasons.

Gastroenteritis is defined as inflammation of the stomach and intestines typically caused by bacteria or viruses. It may cause vomiting and diarrhoea or serious dehydration in severe cases.

When contacted, a Health Ministry spokesperson said the health authorities “have been notified of a number of cases with gastrointestinal symptoms after attending a wedding”.

“One person was admitted to hospital. The health authorities are investigating the cases and the source of food.”

Since investigations are still underway, the authorities could not yet provide the number of confirmed cases.

The incident occurred as Malta struggled through a heatwave and a series of power cuts lasting days in some places. 

At least 13 people died of heat-related issues between July 20 and 25. By Thursday, Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department had gone into overdrive due to the number of people seeking treatment for heat-related conditions.