2023-12-26 09:11:02
Last September, the city of Bordeaux It became a nightmare scenario for any person responsible for epidemiological research, but at the same time it served to make clear how, credit card trace can save you from fatal poisoning in a restaurant. The aforementioned city experienced a moment of panic that could have been much worse due to deadly food poisoning. The urgency of quickly identifying customers, many of whom had already returned to their countries of origin, and being able to do so through credit cards, saved these people’s lives.
Credit card trace can save you from poisoning
He botulisma lethal threat that begins with nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue and nausea, but quickly progresses by paralyzing the muscles essential for breathing, can be avoided thanks to something unexpected: the credit cards.
As explained The countrylos Investigators acted with precision thanks to the trail of the cards, identifying those who used them in the restaurant affected. The paid bills provided additional information about the tables where the homemade canned sardines that were responsible for the outbreak were consumed. This approach allowed quickly contact 29 potential victims of eight different nationalities, excluding those who had paid in cash. Twelve were already identified, some hospitalized and one unfortunately deceased. The remaining 14 were out of danger, since they had not tried the dish.
Among those contacted, three British citizens who, back in their country, began to feel bad without understanding the reason. Thanks to the efforts made, they were able to receive the antidote against botulinum toxin in time, avoiding fatal consequences. However, a woman residing in Paris, who could not receive the antitoxin in timedied due to poisoning.
The botulism outbreak in France highlighted the effectiveness of using credit card data to quickly identify exposed individuals and prevent serious cases, according to an article published in the scientific journal Eurosurveillance. The authors emphasize the importance of this tool in situations with a large influx of tourists, such as the one experienced in Bordeaux during the Rugby World Cup.
The medium also highlights lhe relevance of international collaboration networks in massive events, such as the next Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. A total of 15 people from seven countries were affected by this “unprecedented outbreak.” The United Kingdom led the list with four cases, followed by Ireland and Canada with three each. The United States, France, Germany and Greece each had one case.
The danger of botulism
Botulism, caused by toxins produced by bacteria of the genus Clostridium, can be fatal. Symptoms appear between 12 and 36 hours after consumption and mortality ranges between 3% and 10%. Speed in diagnosis is crucial, since the toxin affects the respiratory muscles, and can cause death due to asphyxiation without treatment.
Using personal data to save lives
The intensive use of new technologies and big data is revealed as a valuable tool in public health crises like this one. However, ethical and legal questions arise about the use of personal data in exceptional situations.. In the case of Bordeaux, the credit card companies cooperated fully with the health authoritiesobtaining customers’ consent before providing their contact details.
Fernando García López, from the Ethics and Data Protection Working Group of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology, highlights in El País, the need to use this data within the legal channels established to safeguard health, while respecting fundamental privacy rights. The Bordeaux case demonstrates the potential of these tools, but their implementation must be carefully balanced with data protection laws.
#Credit #card #trace #save #deadly #poisoning #restaurant