The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 6) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting seven persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

     The first cluster comprises three women aged from 23 to 24 who developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea about 10 to 34 hours after a meal in a restaurant in Mong Kok on the night of March 29. Two of them sought medical advice but neither required hospitalisation.

     The other cluster comprises two men and two women aged from 38 to 48 who developed similar symptoms about 14 to 36 hours after dinner in the same restaurant on the same day. All did not seek medical advice.

     All affected persons have been in a stable condition.

     "We have alerted the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to the incident and investigations are ongoing," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     To prevent food-borne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
 

• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hot pot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• 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/Thursday, April 6, 2017
Issued at HKT 22:15

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