Belgian authorities are examining suspected cases of infants falling ill after consuming recalled Nestle baby formula, amid warnings that confirmed infections may be underestimated due to limited testing requirements.
Belgian health authorities are investigating reports of babies who may have become sick after consuming contaminated Nestle baby formula, following a nationwide recall that has now widened across multiple continents.
The Flemish Department of Healthcare said the number of affected infants in Flanders may be higher than currently known. Spokesperson Joris Moonens told broadcaster VRT that doctors are not required to test for cereulide, the bacterial toxin at the centre of the recall, meaning potential cases may go undetected. The toxin can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The region’s first confirmed case was reported on 23 January. Since then, authorities have urged doctors to report any infant who consumed recalled formula and displays related symptoms. Moonens said the confirmed total is likely an “underestimation”.
Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) is reviewing around 20 reports from parents whose babies fell ill after using recalled products. Spokesperson Helene Bonte said the agency can collect leftover powder from households for laboratory analysis.
Nestle initially retrieved some products from Belgian homes but later halted the practice. The recall has since expanded internationally. French companies Danone and Lactalis have withdrawn items after cereulide was detected in ingredients from a shared supplier. Nestle said the affected products were distributed in more than 50 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.
In a video message, Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil apologised to parents and described the incident as “the largest preventive recall in Nestle’s history.”
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional ...
The global housing crisis has reached what UN officials describe as “staggering” proportions, with nearly...
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for ...
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanita...
Belgium and the Netherlands adopted parliamentary resolutions on 16 April urging the release of Armenians held in Azerbaijan and calling for conditions to enable the return of displaced Armenians from Garabagh, prompting a sharp diplomatic response from Baku.
At least four people died after a small dinghy carrying migrants to Britain sank in the English Channel, French authorities announced on Thursday.
Belgium has marked the 10th-anniversary of the 2016 Brussels terror attacks, remembering the victims of the country’s deadliest peacetime attack and reflecting on changes to national security.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
The risk from hantavirus to the general public remains very low, and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more than 100 staff members actively working on the outbreak, a governmental health official said on Wednesday.
A Dutch hospital has quarantined 12 staff members as a preventive measure after blood and urine from a hantavirus patient were handled without observing strict protocols, according to officials, as medics around the world work to stop the spread of the outbreak.
The European Union is preparing sweeping new regulations targeting the addictive design features of major social media platforms, including TikTok, Meta and X, amid mounting evidence linking their use to serious mental health harm among children and teenagers.
Biological samples from an Italian man were transferred to a specialist hospital for testing on Tuesday, after he was suspected of contracting hantavirus. Meanwhile, World Health Organization boss Tedros Ghebreyesus said there were “no sign” of a larger outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise.
The public health challenge linked to the emergence of a rare strain of hantavirus is complex, according to pharmacist and health commentator Thorrun Govind. She told AnewZ's Daybreak the situation was complicated by the number of nationalities involved and the need to safely return the passengers.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment