The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (March 1) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting nine persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

     The first cluster involved two males and three females, aged 6 to 54, who developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever about 2 to 11 hours after having lunch at a restaurant in Yau Tsim Mong District on February 24.
 
     Another cluster involved one male and three females, aged 35 to 68, who developed similar symptoms about 5 to 12 hours after having lunch at the same restaurant on February 25.

     Seven of the affected persons sought medical advice. Among them, four required hospitalisation and three were discharged following treatment. The stool specimen collected from one patient tested positive for Salmonella upon laboratory testing. All patients are 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:
 

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• 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 utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• 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/Friday, March 1, 2019
Issued at HKT 19:22

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