Press Release

Suspected case of food poisoning under CHP investigation

10 December 2013

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 10) investigating a suspected case of food poisoning affecting 16 persons and hence reminded members of the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

The case involves seven men and nine women, aged 23 and 40, who developed diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever about 11 to 90 hours after having dinner at a restaurant in Happy Valley on December 6. Seven of them consulted private doctors and none required hospitalisation.

All the affected persons are currently in stable condition. The CHP's investigations are proceeding.

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;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• 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.