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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 16) urged people, 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 10 people who felt sick after having dinner in a restaurant in Ma On Shan.
In the first case, two men and four women aged from 16 to 60 developed abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever about 14 to 29 hours after the meal in the restaurant on August 12.
Three of them consulted private doctors and no hospitalisation was required.
The second case involved two men and two women, aged from 14 to 51, who developed similar symptoms about 24 to 45 hours after having the meal in the restaurant on August 13.
Two of them sought medical attention from private doctors and none required hospitalisation.
CHP is urging people 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 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:43
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