Press Release

Update on suspected food poisoning cases

4 August 2015

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 4) provided an update on its investigation into suspected food poisoning cases related to the consumption of sandwiches of "Hung Rui Chen" (Horng Ryen Jen) (in case of any problem with the transliteration, the name in Chinese shall prevail), and again urged the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

Five additional clusters were confirmed today. The newly affected 13 persons all purchased and consumed the sandwiches earlier, comprising four males and nine females aged from one to 79. They developed gastroenteritis symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting and fever about four to 71 hours after consuming the above sandwiches between July 24 and 30. Six of them sought medical consultation and none required hospitalisation.

These sandwiches were respectively purchased online, in Taiwan, from a supermarket in Tsim Sha Tsui or exhibition booths in a shopping centre in Wong Tai Sin, or consumed in a restaurant in Yuen Long between July 24 and 29.

As of 6pm today, the CHP has identified a total of 20 clusters affecting 59 persons.

All affected persons are now in stable condition. Investigations are proceeding.

"Prolonged storage of food at room temperature may allow pathogens to grow and produce toxins. Members of the public should avoid consuming cooked or ready-to-eat food that has been kept at room temperature for several hours," 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:

• Eat thoroughly cooked food;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Buy food from reliable and licensed restaurants and food suppliers only;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• 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.