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In response to press enquiries, the Department of Health (DH)confirmed today (Friday) that reports of two suspected clenbuterol food poisoning cases were received.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the two cases were the only ones received recently and there is no cause for undue alarm in the consumption pig liver.

He said that DH is working closely with the Regional Services Department and the Agriculture and Fisheries Department in investigating the case and monitoring the situation with the relevant departments.

He pointed out that there is an established system for screening of pork and pig viscerae for beta-agonist and tracing of source and distribution of problematic pigs.

He noted that the two municipals services departments, together with the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, had also conducted a number of successful raids on illegal slaughterhouses this year, one of these operations was conducted yesterday.

On the Department of Health, an average of 400 pork and pig viscerae samples have been taken each month for surveillance on beta-agonist. The failure rate is about 1 percent.

The first suspected case of clenbuterol food poisoning involved two women, aged 30 and 31, living in Tin Shui Wai. Both developed palpitations, tremor, nausea, dizziness and flushing yesterday (Thursday) after eating pig liver bought from a market in Tin Shui Wai.

The two women were admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital and are in stable condition.

The second suspected case involved a 23-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man from Tuen Mun who developed palpitations and tremor last (Thursday) night after consumption of pig liver obtained from a market in Tuen Mun. Both patients were treated and discharged from Tuen Mun Hospital.

Including these two suspected cases, there are a total of five clenbuterol food poisoning cases in Hong Kong this year involving eleven persons.

On the raiding of an illegal slaughterhouse in Yuen Long yesterday, a spokesman for the Regional Services Department (RSD)said the operation was jointly conducted in the morning together with the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, the Environmental Protection Department and the Police.

From a metal hut in San Tin, the officers seized a quantity of pork and offal and 13 live pigs. However, no one was arrested.

"Stringent enforcement actions will continue so as to get rid of this sort of illegal activities," the RSD spokesman said.

He stressed that anyone found guilty of operating an illegal slaughterhouse would be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

Health Inspectors from the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department will step up inspections to fresh provision shops and market stalls selling fresh pork to check the source of meat supply.

The two departments will continue to take stringent measures to stamp out the sale of meat from illegal sources.

End/Friday, November 19, 1999

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