A man and woman face a long and difficult recovery from paralysis, after drinking carrot juice poisoned with the botulism toxin, a Toronto Public Health official said. Dr. Elizabeth Rea, associate medical officer of health, said the pair, both from Toronto, are seriously ill in hospital after drinking the bottled carrot juice, which has been recalled in Canada, U.S. and Mexico.
“There’s every hope these two people will make it through and recover fully,” Rea said. “It can take months.”
There are also four cases in the U.S. from the tainted carrot juice — manufactured by California’s Bolthouse Farms and sold under three brands — and all four patients suffered respiratory failure, needing a ventilator to breathe.
Symptoms of botulism, which typically occur within 18 to 36 hours of consuming the toxic food, include blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and paralysis. Ten per cent of cases are fatal.