South Africa
BLOEMFONTEIN – Mass Food Poisoning Strikes School Children
More than 200 students fell ill in a severe food poisoning outbreak during a weekend matric study camp at Kagisho Secondary School. The incident, which began on Sunday afternoon, quickly escalated as students displayed classic symptoms of food-borne illness including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.
By Monday, the number of affected learners had grown to 214. The situation prompted an emergency response, with students requiring immediate medical attention at various local hospitals.
“The Outbreak Response team is surveilling the situation to determine the scope of the outbreak and respond to any emerging developments,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Health. Authorities have implemented control measures to prevent further spread of the illness while providing necessary treatment to all affected students.
Eight students currently remain under observation in hospital casualty departments. These students are receiving intravenous fluids while awaiting blood test results. Officials have reassured the public that none of the hospitalized students are showing signs of serious illness at this time.
Health authorities continue to investigate the source of the contamination and have promised to provide updates as the situation unfolds.
The Netherlands
HUIZEN – Listeria Found in Steak Tartare Prompts Nationwide Recall
Lidl Nederland has announced an urgent recall of their German mince steak tartare after tests revealed contamination with listeria bacteria. The supermarket chain is warning customers about serious health risks associated with consuming the affected product.
The recall specifically targets German steak tartare products with a March 13, 2025 best-before date, identifiable by barcode 4056489681731. These items were distributed to Lidl locations throughout the Netherlands.
Health officials stress that listeria poses particular danger to vulnerable populations including elderly individuals, pregnant women, young children, and those with compromised immune systems. Infection symptoms typically include fever, muscle pain, nausea, and diarrhea, but can escalate to more severe neurological complications such as headaches, confusion, and seizures in serious cases.
Pregnant women face additional concerns as listeria infection can potentially result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe illness in newborns.
Lidl has instructed customers who purchased the contaminated meat to avoid consumption and return it to any Lidl store in the Netherlands for a full refund, with no receipt required.
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has validated the recall and issued its own public safety alert, urging consumers to carefully inspect their recent purchases from Lidl.
India
KUNTLOOR – Suspected Food Poisoning Outbreak Affects Hundreds at Local College
A widespread outbreak of suspected food poisoning has struck Narayana College in Kuntloor. According to reports, approximately half of the student population fell ill after consuming their Sunday evening meal consisting of allu kurma (potatoes in gravy) and chapati (unleavened flatbread).
Students began experiencing severe symptoms around midnight, with vomiting being the primary complaint. With the campus housing between 800 to 900 students, this means roughly 400-450 young people were affected by the incident, creating significant concern throughout the institution.
“There was continuous vomiting, and some became sick from midnight onward. Almost half of the campus got sick,” reported one student who witnessed the outbreak firsthand.
Despite the scale of the incident, local police officials indicated that formal action has been limited thus far. “We received information that last night in Narayana College at Kuntloor, the student got sick after having allu kurma and chapati for dinner,” confirmed the Inspector of Hayath Nagar police station. “But, the college management said that they are good. And we have not received any complaints from parents and students, and if we get any complaints, we will take further action.”
This incident follows a similar recent outbreak in Telangana’s Mahabubnagar district, where 18 students were hospitalized with food poisoning after consuming meals at another school. In that case, campus management initially attempted to treat affected students on-site before seeking hospital care.
KRISHNAGIRI – Fatal Food Poisoning Case Linked to Local Bakery
A suspected case of food poisoning has claimed the life of a 25-year-old construction worker. The man died Wednesday evening at Krishnagiri Government Hospital after consuming parotta, a type of layered, flaky flatbread from a local shop.
According to police reports, the man and his 45-year-old mother purchased takeaway food from the shop on Saturday, March 1, while returning home from shopping. After eating the parotta at their home, both immediately experienced chest burning sensations, prompting them to drink a cool beverage for relief. Their condition rapidly deteriorated as they began suffering from severe diarrhea and vomiting.
The mother and son were rushed to Tirupattur Government Hospital that same day. While the mother eventually recovered from her symptoms, medical staff determined the son’s condition required specialized care and transferred him to Krishnagiri Government Hospital, where he succumbed to his illness five days later.
The doctor who initially treated both patients at Tirupattur Government Hospital, noted that the mother first presented with asthma complaints while her son showed symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. After approximately two hours under observation, both patients developed evident food poisoning symptoms, prompting hospital staff to alert authorities.
The man’s family firmly believes the parotta caused the fatal food poisoning. Police have registered the case as an unnatural death and await post-mortem results to determine the exact cause.
Israel
JERUSALEM – Food Poisoning Affects 50 Soldiers
Local media has reported that approximately 50 Israeli soldiers from a base in the country’s south have been struck by suspected food poisoning.
Twenty of the 50 were taken to the hospital for treatment but have since been released.
Hong Kong
HONG KONG – Hong Kong Health Authorities Issue Japan Travel Advisory Due to Norovirus Outbreaks
Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has issued a public health advisory urging travelers to Japan to exercise heightened awareness regarding food safety following significant norovirus outbreaks in multiple Japanese prefectures. The announcement, made on Saturday, comes as Japanese health officials report over 150 norovirus infections linked to specific food service businesses since February.
CHP Controller Edwin Tsui identified two primary sources of the current outbreaks: Kiichi restaurant in Osaka Prefecture and Japanese confectionery products, particularly strawberry daifuku, manufactured by Kiyotsuki Co. Ltd in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture. Tsui also noted a general increase in infectious gastroenteritis cases throughout Japan in recent weeks.
The advisory stressed that norovirus, which typically peaks during winter months, is highly contagious and can spread through multiple vectors. Transmission occurs primarily through consuming contaminated food, direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids, or touching contaminated surfaces.
In his statement, Tsui emphasized the importance of proper hand hygiene, specifically recommending soap and water rather than alcohol-based sanitizers. “Alcohol is not effective in killing norovirus,” Tsui warned, adding that the infection “may lead to a large-scale outbreak” if proper precautions aren’t taken.
According to the CHP, typical norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, mild fever, and general malaise. Most cases resolve naturally within one to three days without specific treatment.
Japanese newspaper The Mainichi has reported that the situation at Kiichi restaurant in Osaka has been particularly problematic. Initially, 33 people developed food poisoning after consuming traditional kaiseki meals and boxed lunches from the business in mid-February. Restaurant staff were also affected by the outbreak.
Despite a temporary two-day closure in late February, new cases emerged soon after the restaurant reopened. Japanese authorities have now imposed an indefinite suspension on Kiichi’s operations.
Myanmar
ARAKAN STATE – Hepatitis A Outbreak Prompts Health Warnings
An outbreak of hepatitis A has emerged in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, with 13 confirmed cases reported since late February 2025. Health authorities have issued public warnings urging residents to implement preventive measures as the situation develops.
Medical professionals in the region have noted a significant shift in hepatitis patterns. According to healthcare workers in Kyauktaw Township, hepatitis A has now surpassed hepatitis B as the predominant form of the disease in Myanmar.
Local health experts said that while hepatitis B previously accounted for most liver-related health issues in the region, the current outbreak presents a broader risk to the general population. They emphasized that individuals with compromised immune systems typically experience longer recovery periods.
The disease manifests through multiple symptoms including unusual fatigue, sudden nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, appetite loss, low-grade fever, dark urine, joint pain, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), and intense itching. In severe cases, the infection can progress to acute liver failure, which may be fatal.
One Kyauktaw resident who contracted the disease described initially dismissing her symptoms as a minor fever. Only when jaundice became visible did she seek medical attention, leading to her hepatitis A diagnosis.
Healthcare professionals stress that recovery can be accelerated through proper medical treatment, nutritious diet, strict personal hygiene practices, and thorough food preparation. Local medical workers have identified children and chronic alcohol consumers as particularly vulnerable populations. Alcohol use often leads to underlying liver conditions that increase susceptibility to serious complications, while children face heightened risk due to their developing immune systems.
The situation extends beyond Kyauktaw, with a significant number of hepatitis A cases detected in Yangon City on March 2, 2025. In response, Myanmar’s health ministry under the military government issued warnings about the potential for a major outbreak, highlighting the disease’s highly contagious nature, particularly among children.
Official health guidance emphasizes preventive measures including diligent handwashing, avoiding food exposed to flies, and consuming only properly treated water—either boiled, purified with treatment tablets, or approved by the country’s Food and Drug Administration.
Singapore
SINGAPORE – 187 Food Poisoning Cases Linked to National Exercise Meals
Singaporean health officials have confirmed that 187 people developed gastroenteritis after consuming ready-to-eat meals distributed during February’s Total Defense exercise. The vast majority of cases—184 in total—affected students at various schools, according to Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
Fu addressed the situation during a recent parliamentary session, confirming that all individuals who fell ill have since fully recovered. The contaminated meals were part of Exercise SG Ready 2025, a national preparedness drill focused on building resilience against power disruptions caused by potential cyberattacks.
The first outbreak was identified at the School of the Arts, where 20 students exhibited gastroenteritis symptoms after eating the meals. Distribution occurred between February 15-28, with meals going to both schools and elderly care facilities. The exercise had planned to distribute approximately 150,000 meals in total.
Parliament members raised several concerns during the session, questioning the cause of the illness, product testing protocols, supplier vetting procedures, and potential penalties for SATS, the food solutions provider responsible for the meals.
In response, Fu reported that tests conducted by the Singapore Food Agency on meal samples did not detect any food-borne pathogens. She clarified that both the agency and the Ministry of Health are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
Fu assured lawmakers that appropriate enforcement actions would be implemented if investigators identify any procedural lapses or safety violations in the preparation or distribution of the meals.
Japan
OSAKA – Dairy Products from Egypt Show Alarming E. coli Contamination Rates
A study led by researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University in collaboration with Egyptian scientists has revealed widespread E. coli contamination in Egyptian dairy products. The research team found that over one-quarter of tested milk and dairy items contained the potentially dangerous bacteria.
The comprehensive analysis examined 210 samples of raw milk, cheese, and yogurt from Egyptian markets, with 26.2% testing positive for E. coli. Raw buffalo milk showed the highest contamination rate at an alarming 68%, while rayeb, a traditional fermented milk product, had the lowest presence at 7.5%.
Researchers attribute these high contamination levels to cultural preferences for unpasteurized milk products and inconsistent hygiene practices across small-scale dairy producers and local marketplaces throughout Egypt.
More troubling is the discovery that one E. coli strain isolated from Egyptian samples collected in 2018 shares identical characteristics with the bacteria responsible for a major 2021 food poisoning outbreak in Japan’s Toyama Prefecture. That incident affected more than 1,800 schoolchildren across 25 schools who consumed contaminated milk.
Professor Shinji Yamasaki from Osaka University’s Graduate School of Veterinary Science, who led the study, noted that the identified strain represents a previously uncategorized pathogenic E. coli variant.
The research team hopes their findings will contribute to developing improved prevention strategies and treatment protocols as scientists gain better understanding of this emerging pathogen.
Indonesia
SOUTH SULAWESI – Teen Girl Questioned After Alleged Attempt to Poison Father’s Food
A 17-year-old girl in Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, was interrogated by police after her father accused her of attempting to poison him at the start of Ramadan. The incident occurred on March 1 when the suspect, identified as GN, allegedly mixed poison into her father’s meal, which he was preparing to eat to break his fast.
According to reports, the father became suspicious after noticing an unusual smell and appearance in the food. He discarded the meal and reported the incident to local authorities. Police said that the man chose not to press charges, citing his daughter’s status as a minor.
Investigators revealed that the poison used was Sidamethrin, an insecticide typically employed to eliminate pests on crops. The girl reportedly confessed to the act, claiming that her boyfriend had instructed her to carry it out. However, the exact motive behind the alleged poisoning remains unclear.
After being briefly questioned, the teenager was released to her family, who decided not to pursue the case further. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Commenting on this article, the nation’s leading Listeria lawyer said, “I highly encourage any consumer who has purchased food that has been recalled due to Listeria contamination to throw it out immediately and disinfect all surfaces. A Listeria infection can be incredibly dangerous to many members of our population.”
