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One person has died and 118 others have been hospitalised with suspected food poisoning after eating at a pizza restaurant in Brazil
14:02, Thu, Mar 19, 2026 Updated: 14:02, Thu, Mar 19, 2026
The incident happened in the Paraíba region of Brazil (stock) (Image: Anderson Alcantara via Getty Images)
One person has died and 118 have been hospitalised after consuming food from a popular pizza restaurant in Brazil, South America.
The deceased, identified as 44-year-old Raíssa Maritein Bezerra e Silva by authorities, reportedly passed away after eating pizza from an establishment in Pombal in the Sertão region of Paraíba.
Raíssa was among over 100 people who were taken ill with suspected food poisoning and were taken to two healthcare facilities in the region following the incident, reports the Mirror.
According to Pombal Region Hospital, the woman was admitted on Monday presenting symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea, typical signs of food poisoning. In a statement regarding the death, the hospital noted that the patient's condition "deteriorated rapidly".
They further stated: "She was promptly attended to by the medical team and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), already in a very critical condition, with signs consistent with a severe infection."
Raíssa Maritein Bezerra e Silva has been identified as the deceased (Image: G1globo)
The woman's death was later confirmed at 8.59am on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, globo.com reports that Raquel Dantas, the lawyer representing the venue, La Favoritta, was awaiting further developments and was present during inspections of the venue by the State Health Surveillance Agency, also known as Agevisa.
Meanwhile, a family member of Raíssa revealed that she and her boyfriend had eaten at the pizzeria on Sunday evening. They began to feel ill later that night and sought treatment at Pombal Region Hospital before being discharged, only for her to return the following morning.
Reports suggest numerous patients exhibited signs of food poisoning, such as diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort, and vomiting. Moreover, a report from the municipality's Emergency Care Unit (UPA) to the Health Surveillance Department indicated that 40 patients had been treated for symptoms of food poisoning by Tuesday morning.
At Pombal hospital, 74 individuals were admitted with similar symptoms over Sunday and Monday.
The pizzeria has since closed whilst tests are carried out (Image: G1globo)
In response, officials travelled to the region to inspect the pizzeria, which was subsequently shut down by the Pombal Health Authority. This included a technical inspection and seizure of materials and supplies for analysis.
Additionally, it has emerged that inspectors discovered irregularities at the pizzeria, including improper food storage and an infestation of insects.
Furthermore, the local council in the region has announced that the case will be referred to Agevisa for further investigation, alongside ongoing monitoring of the situation.
In a statement issued after the inspection, Agevisa's health inspector Sérgio Freitas declared: "The establishment was in complete breach of health regulations. It was unfit to operate under any circumstances.
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"Regarding the lack of hygiene, no supporting documentation for protocols was presented. Insects were observed, along with appalling temperature conditions, inadequate food storage, rusty equipment and repetitive use of food containers. It is in complete breach of regulations."
Mr Freitas further stated that the proprietor of the pizzeria had since visited the police station and that an investigation into the incident will now be carried out by the civil police as health authorities await the results of the tests into what transpired.
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