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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (October 27) investigating two suspected cases of food poisoning involving 45 schoolchildren from two secondary schools.
The first case involved 33 schoolchildren, including 26 boys and 7 girls aged from 12 to 16, of a secondary school in Ma On Shan. They developed diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever about 30 minutes to 31 hours after consuming lunch provided by a food supplier at the school on October 25.
Their symptoms were generally mild. One of them sought medical treatment from the Accident and Emergency Department of Prince of Wales Hospital and did not require hospitalisation.
In the second case, 12 students from a secondary school in Siu Sai Wan were involved. The affected, comprising seven boys and five girls aged from 15 to 16, developed similar symptoms of food poisoning about 1 to 12 hours after consuming lunch provided by a food supplier at the school on October 25.
One of them consulted private doctors and hospitalisation was not required.
CHP's initial investigations showed that bacteria could be the likely cause for the two outbreaks. Further investigation is in progress
To prevent food borne diseases, people, in particular food handlers, 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.
Ends/Friday, October 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 21:59
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