The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 6) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting four persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

     The first cluster involved a male and a female, aged 3 and 34, who developed symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and fever about nine to 10 hours after having lunch at a restaurant in Sheung Wan on June 3.

     The other cluster involved a male and a female, both aged 51, who developed similar symptoms about eight to 10 hours after consuming food of the same restaurant on the same day.

     The four affected persons sought medical advice and three required hospitalisation. All of them are in stable condition.

     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.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 11) investigating a suspected puffer fish poisoning case, and hence reminded members of the public not to consume puffer fish.

      

     The case involves a 57-year-old man who developed perioral numbness about two hours after consuming cooked puffer fish, caught in local waters, at home yesterday (December 10).

      

     He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital in the small hours today and was admitted for treatment. He is now in a stable condition.

      

     Investigations by the CHP are continuing.

      

     A spokesman for the CHP said that consumption of puffer fish is the main cause of food poisoning from tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a potent water-soluble neurotoxin that can affect the central nervous system.

     “Organs such as the liver, gonads and skin of puffer fish have high concentrations of tetrodotoxin. Being heat-stable, the toxin does not decompose upon cooking, boiling, drying or freezing. Tetrodotoxin intoxication can cause problems in respiration and circulation and is potentially fatal. There is no known antidote or antitoxin that can decompose tetrodotoxin. Members of the public are advised to avoid purchasing and preparing puffer fish or unknown fish for consumption to prevent tetrodotoxin-related food poisoning,” the spokesman said.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (October 15) investigating a suspected food poisoning cluster affecting 12 persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.

     The cluster involved five males and seven females, aged 26 to 43, who developed abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting about 17 hours after having lunch at a restaurant in Sha Tin on October 12.

     Six of the affected persons sought medical advice and none required hospitalisation. They are in 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.