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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 17) urged members of the public to observe good hygiene and to exercise caution in consuming cold dishes, including sushi and sashimi, to prevent food-borne diseases.
The appeal was made after CHP¡¦s receipt of four new reports of suspected food poisoning with 10 people feeling sick after taking cold dishes.
A man and a woman, aged 25 and 26 respectively, developed gastroenteritis symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea about 11 to 15 hours after having a meal at a restaurant in Wan Chai on June 14. The restaurant was involved in two other cases of suspected food poisoning reported last night.
In the second case, a man and a woman aged 36 and 37 respectively developed gastroenteritis symptoms about 14 to 17 hours after consuming a meal in a restaurant in Kowloon Bay on June 14.
For the third case, four other persons, two males and two females aged from 17 and 52, had a meal in a restaurant in Tsuen Wan on June 14. They developed gastroenteritis symptoms about 15 to 36 hours later.
In the last case, two boys aged seven and eight respectively suffered from gastroenteritis symptoms about 15 hours after having a meal in a restaurant in Tseung Kwan O on June 16.
Among these patients, five of them had consulted doctors and none required hospitalization.
Further investigation is in progress.
When dining out, members of the public should:
* Patronise only reputable and licensed restaurants;
* Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
* Cook food thoroughly;
* Avoid eating raw seafood;
* Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi and raw oysters in a buffet;
* 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;
* Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.
Ends/Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:51
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