Over 20 individuals fell ill with a mysterious virus during an event at an Edinburgh conference center, leading to hospitalization for two people, including a pregnant woman. Initially mistaken for food poisoning, the symptoms included headaches, stomach pains, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting.
The incident occurred in March 2024 at the Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue on St Mary’s Street, coming to light after a recent Freedom of Information request. Following conferences on March 26 and 28, attendees experienced the outbreak, with some reporting severe sickness and inability to eat or drink for days.
Email correspondence between the training center and affected parties showed that one delegate remained hospitalized on April 4, nearly a week after admission. An independent investigation by the Edinburgh Council’s environmental health team suggested that a virus was likely the cause of the illness.
Of the 22 delegates in one group, only three avoided falling ill initially. Further emails from another delegation indicated multiple cases of sickness, possibly linked to the consumption of soup and sandwiches at the event. Initially suspected to be food poisoning, investigators later ruled out this possibility.
The Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue, known for hosting various events, was contacted for comments along with the Edinburgh Council.