At least 21 people fell ill after attending a government-sponsored International Women’s Day breakfast in the southern Morelos municipality of Tlaquiltenango on March 8, with preliminary reports suggesting food may have been contaminated with a fungicide.
The event was organized by the municipal government of Tlaquiltenango, led by Mayor Enrique Alonso Plascencia of the PRI-PAN-PRD-RSP alliance, along with the local DIF social services agency and the municipal Instancia de la Mujer (Women’s Office). The day began with a march for public employees and residents, followed by a communal breakfast served at a covered sports court in the town center.
Chilaquiles, Bread, Coffee, and Water Served
Organizers offered chilaquiles, bread, coffee, and water to dozens of attendees — most of them women who came with family members. Hours later, participants began reporting vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blurred vision.
Those affected sought treatment at the IMSS clinic in neighboring Zacatepec and at the Hospital General Ernesto Meana San Román in Jojutla. Medical staff identified at least 21 patients with similar symptoms, consistent with a food poisoning outbreak. Two patients were reported in serious condition and remained under observation.
Doctors noted signs including intestinal activity, pain in the upper and middle abdomen, and along the colon. Negative results for appendicitis and kidney-related indicators helped rule out other conditions. The working diagnosis was gastroenteritis and colitis of unspecified origin.
Authorities said early indications pointed to possible chemical contamination — specifically, a fungicide — though no official confirmation had been issued at time of reporting.
A Wider Pattern in Mexico
Food poisoning incidents at public gatherings are not uncommon in Mexico. The country’s health secretariat reports roughly 500,000 cases of food-borne illness annually, according to the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA — National Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality Service). Outbreaks have been recorded at graduation dinners, weddings, and community events across multiple states in recent years, with bacterial contamination the most frequently identified cause.
Chemical contamination is less common but does occur, particularly when agricultural products or equipment are improperly stored near food supplies. Fungicides and pesticides used in rural Mexican communities can become hazardous when they make contact with food or cooking surfaces. In this case, investigators had not yet determined how a fungicide may have entered the food chain.
The incident came on the same day that International Women’s Day marches took place across Mexico, with cities including Mérida seeing large public demonstrations. The Tlaquiltenango gathering was one of many municipal-level events organized to mark the occasion.
Investigation Under Way
Health authorities were continuing their investigation at the time of this report, and no arrests or administrative actions had been announced in connection with the outbreak. Officials from the DIF municipal system, represented by Irene Vallejo Plascencia, were among those connected to the event’s organization.
The two patients in serious condition remained hospitalized. The condition of the remaining 19 was not specified in initial reports.
Key Facts
- At least 21 people were hospitalized after a Women’s Day breakfast in Tlaquiltenango, Morelos, on March 8, 2026
- Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and blurred vision
- Two patients remained in serious condition as of initial reports
- Attendees were treated at IMSS Zacatepec and Hospital General Ernesto Meana San Román in Jojutla
- Preliminary reports suggested possible fungicide contamination; no official cause had been confirmed
- The breakfast was organized by the Tlaquiltenango municipal government, DIF, and the local Women’s Office
- Mexico reports approximately 500,000 food-borne illness cases annually
Source: Diario de Yucatán / El Universal