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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 30) urged members of the public especially food handlers to observe good personal and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.
The appeal was made following two reports of suspected food poisoning involving 12 persons who felt sick after having dinner in a hotel restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui.
In the first case, eight females aged from 19 to 38 developed abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and fever about 15 to 33 hours after the meal in the restaurant on August 28. Six of them consulted private doctors or private hospital and no hospitalisation was required.
The second case involved one man and three women, aged from 24 to 43, who developed similar symptoms about three to 25 hours after having the meal in the same restaurant on August 28. One of them sought medical attention from the emergency department of Princess Margaret Hospital and none required hospitalisation.
CHP is urging members of the public to take the following measures:
* Do not consume food that has been discoloured or tastes abnormal; and
* Wash hands thoroughly before eating and after going to the toilet.
Members of the trade are reminded to:
* Obtain raw materials from reliable sources;
* Clean and cook food thoroughly before serving, particularly crustacean and bivalve seafood such as shrimp, crab, oysters and clams;
* Keep raw and cooked foods separately to reduce the risk of cross-contamination;
* Cold dishes should be kept at 4℃ or below and hot-served foods, at 60℃ or above over warming devices;
* Food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours; and
* Observe good personal and environmental hygiene.
Ends/Thursday, August 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:15
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