Health authorities have issued a grave caution to the public following a distressing incident where a young woman was left paralyzed after consuming soup.
Claudia de Albuquerque Celada, aged 23, is presently battling for her life while on a ventilator in the hospital.
Claudia, originally from Brazil, was employed in Aspen, Colorado, under an exchange program when she became unwell.
Claudia de Albuquerque Celada fell ill in February. (cacau_albuquerque/Instagram)
Experiencing paralysis, dizziness, double vision, and shortness of breath, the 23-year-old sought medical attention and was admitted to the hospital in February.
The 23-year-old reported experiencing paralysis, dizziness, double vision, and shortness of breath before being hospitalized in February.
She has remained at the Swedish Medical Center in Denver on a ventilator since then.
Claudia received a diagnosis of botulism two weeks after her hospitalization.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe botulism as “a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves, leading to difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and potentially fatal outcomes.”
Health officials suspect that Claudia’s illness may have originated from consuming soup.
Brazilian native Claudia was in the US through an exchange program. (cacau_albuquerque/Instagram)
Claudia reportedly bought a pre-packaged soup from a leading US retailer. Although tests on soup samples from the same store didn’t show any signs of botulism, experts speculate that Claudia’s illness might have been caused by improper storage of the soup, considering her Brazilian background.
Additionally, there’s a possibility she didn’t reheat it properly.
The Pitkin County Health Department has issued a warning advising people to ensure they thoroughly reheat their meals and to “reassess their food handling practices.”
In further discussion of Claudia’s case, a spokesperson from the Pitkin County Health Department informed the Daily Mail, “Since an outbreak was ruled out, our primary focus is on prevention.”
“Given that there wasn’t a common source of exposure affecting a larger portion of the population, or if there were multiple associated cases, we strongly consider food handling as the probable cause of the infection.”
The 23-year-old is now fighting for her life. (Vakinha)
Health officials emphasized that they are highly confident the issue did not originate from the soup product itself. However, they noted that it’s “nearly impossible to definitively determine at which stage there might have been a breakdown.”
As Claudia remains in the US, her sister, Luísa Albuquerque, disclosed the Denver hospital’s intentions to transport her back to Brazil to reunite with her family.
“Recovery is much quicker when surrounded by family and friends. After comparing the costs between staying here and returning to Brazil, we’ve found that returning is still more economical,” Claudia’s sister shared on social media.
Reportedly, it costs $10,000 per day to maintain her in the Denver-based hospital.
With this in mind, the family is utilizing Vakinha to raise funds to cover Claudia’s escalating medical expenses. As of now, they’ve only managed to raise 225,149.91 Brazilian Real (approximately US $43).
