A case of food poisoning under investigation

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a report of suspected food poisoning involving at least 21 people today (June 3).

Investigations are in progress to determine the number of people affected, and to confirm the source of outbreak.

The affected are students of a secondary school in Kowloon Tong who had consumed meals brought from a food premises during an activity in Central yesterday evening.

They developed diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain within 2 to 18 hours after the meal.

Most of them sought medical treatments from private doctors and public hospitals. None of them required hospitalization.

CHP's investigations suggested that this might be an outbreak of bacteria food poisoning. Staff of the CHP will arrange stool samples be collected from the patients.

To prevent food borne diseases, members of the public, in particular food premises operators should take the following measures:

• Clean and cook food thoroughly before consumption, particularly crustacean and bivalve seafood such as shrimp, crab, oysters and clams;
• Handle raw and cooked food with separate utensils to prevent cross contamination;
• Keep raw and cooked food separately;
• Do not store food under room temperature. Keep cooked food in refrigerator (at 4 degree Celsius or below) or kept warm at 60 degree Celsius or above if they are not consumed at once.
• Discard leftovers or otherwise store them properly in refrigerator (at 4 degree Celsius or below). Reheat leftover food thoroughly before consumption;
• Wash hands before eating and after going to toilet; and
• Keep the environment clean.

End/Friday, June 3, 2005