18 Mar 2009
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 18) is investigating three cases of suspected food poisoning involving 19 people and reminds members of the public to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.
In the first case, four men aged 27 to 28 developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever after having a dinner in a restaurant at Jordan on March 9. Two of them sought medical treatment. No hospitalisation was required.
The second case involved two women aged from 32 to 33 who had dinner in the same restaurant at Jordan on March 13. They developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. They sought medical treatment but did not require hospitalisation.
In the third case, six men and seven women aged from 1.5 to 59 had dinner in another restaurant at Tsim Sha Tsui on March 15. They developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Seven of them sought medical treatment and did not require hospitalisation.
CHP reminded people, especially food handlers, to observe good personal and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.
People are advised to take the following measures:
* Do not consume food that has been discoloured or tastes abnormal; and
* Wash hands thoroughly before eating and after going to the toilet.
Members of the trade are reminded to:
* Obtain raw materials from reliable sources;
* Clean and cook food thoroughly before serving to customers, particularly crustacean and bivalve seafood such as shrimp, crab, oysters and clams;
* Keep raw and cooked foods separately to reduce the risk of cross-contamination;
* Cold dishes should be kept at 4 degrees Celsius or below and hot-served foods, at 60 degrees Celsius or above over warming devices;
* Food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours; and
* Observe good personal and environmental hygiene.