700 get sick after Airbus Christmas dinner in France

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‘Tis the season to be jolly, not queasy.

But that’s what happened to many of the 2,600 workers at the French aerospace group Airbus Atlantic, who got deathly ill after a gourmet Christmas dinner organized by the company.

The company’s own restaurant rolled out the red carpet with a gourmet spread that featured foie gras, scallops, lobster, and beef tenderloin, capped off with decadent desserts like ice-cream logs and hazelnut-chocolate mousse – all for only about $16 per person, the Guardian reported.

But within 24 to 48 hours after the festive feast on Dec. 14, the affected workers showed “clinical signs of vomiting and/or diarrhea.”

About 700 employees reported falling ill.

One employee identified only as Nolwenn told the Ouest-France newspaper: “I had colic and headaches like I’d never had before. It was worse than giving birth.”

Health officials have launched an investigation to establish what caused the mass outbreak of gastroenteritis, although a spokesman for Airbus claimed no one had become “seriously ill.”

A questionnaire was sent to all those present at the meal.

Airbus Atlantic, a subsidiary of the world’s largest aircraft maker, Airbus, employs 15,000 people in five countries.

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