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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 9) provided an update following its investigation into a suspected case of food poisoning announced on June 4.
Subsequent to its follow-up investigations, the CHP received reports on 80 more people being involved in the suspected food poisoning case in a primary school in Kwai Tsing District. Similar to the earlier cases announced on June 4, all the affected persons developed diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and fever after having lunch in the primary school on June 3.
The newly reported cases involve 35 males and 45 females aged 6 to 54. All affected persons did not require hospitalisation and are currently in stable condition.
This brings to 93 the total number of persons affected so far. Investigation is proceeding.
To prevent food-borne diseases, schools and institutions are advised to:
* Choose and monitor food suppliers carefully; and
* Hot foods should be kept at above 60 degrees Celsius while cold foods should be kept at 4 degrees Celsius or below.
Members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
* Eat thoroughly cooked food;
* Avoid eating raw seafood;
* Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
* Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
* Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
* Drink boiled water;
* Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
* Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine and wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
* Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.
Ends/Monday, June 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:55
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