Malaysia
PETALING JAYA – Private School Forced to Close After Food Poisoning Outbreak
A private school in the Kota Damansara township has been temporarily shut down after a number of students reportedly suffered from food poisoning reportedly connected to the school’s cafeteria.
The school acknowledged the incident and said they were focused on stopping the spread of the illness and supporting the affected students. The school said it was “very grateful for the support, advice and guidance that many in our community have contributed.”
Exact numbers were not provided, but it is believed over 20 students have fallen ill.
The school said the catering service has been inspected by health authorities, who reviewed kitchen procedures and collected samples for testing. The school stated it will continue working with officials to identify the source of the infection and implement any recommended actions.
In their statement, the school also stressed its commitment to transparency, noting that it self-reported the matter to education, health, and police authorities. The statement also said most affected students have recovered within 1-2 days, though one child is still receiving ongoing treatment.
Tests have confirmed the presence of norovirus, which the school says can easily spread in schools due to close quarters, shared spaces, and high-touch surfaces. School officials said the closure and deep cleaning efforts are aimed at breaking the chain of infection.
Parents have been asked to not share rumors online, as it is causing “distress” and “confusion” for other concerned parents.
Normal school operations are expected to resume on November 4.
KOTA BHARU – 108 Sickened by Food Poisoning at Local Restaurant
Nine people are still being treated after an outbreak of food poisoning on October 17 affected 108 customers of a local restaurant.
Health officials were notified by multiple hospitals and health clinics after treating the large influx of affected patients.
Initial investigations have determined that all of those sickened ate the same meal of tandoori chicken on October 17.
A short time after dining at the restaurant, the victims began experiencing symptoms of stomach pain, fever, diarrea, dizziness, and vomiting.
The eatery was closed on October 19 by health officials who also collected food, water, and environmental samples along with additional samples from sick patrons and restaurant workers.
This is the second incident of food poisoning at the restaurant this year since January.
Taiwan
KAOHSIUNG – Mass Food Poisoning Incident Strikes Kaohsiung Restaurant
A local restaurant in Kaohsiung’s Sanmin District, in the southern part of the country, has been shut down following a large-scale food poisoning outbreak that has affected 60 people. The incident stems from boxed lunches served by the restaurant last Wednesday.
The outbreak came to light when three customers sought hospital treatment for common food poisoning symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever after consuming meals from the eatery. As reports continued to surface from multiple hospitals across the city, the scale of the incident became apparent.
Among those affected were 29 students from a local university, with 20 of those requiring medical attention. In total, 46 people sought medical care, including seven who were hospitalized and one who was treated in the emergency room. An additional 14 cases were identified through contact tracing efforts.
City health inspectors conducted an investigation on Thursday, discovering several food safety violations that led to an immediate seven-day closure order. The violations included improper waste management, failure to maintain refrigeration temperature records, and lack of documented employee health checks.
No leftover samples of the 410 boxed lunches sold on Wednesday were left for testing. However, officials collected samples from remaining food items in the kitchen along with samples from sick patrons and kitchen staff.
The restaurant will remain closed until it passes a new health inspection and addresses all safety violations.
Singapore
SINGAPORE – No E. coli Outbreak in Singapore McDonald’s
The massive outbreak of E. coli infection at multiple McDonald’s restaurant locations in the United States, likely caused by contaminated onions, does not affect McDonald’s restaurants in Singapore, the company said on Friday.
“We want to reassure our customers that this issue does not impact McDonald’s operations in Singapore in any way,” said a McDonald’s spokesperson. “Our slivered onion ingredients are sourced from suppliers in Malaysia and Singapore.”
United States food safety officials are still working to determine the exact source of the contamination.
Hong Kong
HONG KONG – Salmonella Outbreak at Upscale Hong Kong Italian Restaurant
Six diners have fallen ill after consuming Tiramisu at PIRATA, an upscale Italian restaurant, Hong Kong health officials reported on Monday.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) documented two separate incidents on October 25th. In the first case, two women in their early 40s experienced symptoms between 9 and 19 hours after their lunch. The second incident involved four younger diners – two men and two women in their early 30s – who developed similar symptoms 16 to 22 hours after their meal. Symptoms included abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever.
Of the six affected individuals, five sought medical attention, with two requiring hospitalization. Laboratory tests confirmed Salmonella infection in the hospitalized patients. All victims are now reported to be in stable condition.
Health officials from both the CHP and Centre for Food Safety immediately conducted an investigation at the restaurant. As a precautionary measure, they suspended sales of the Tiramisu and ordered a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the premises. The restaurant staff also received additional food safety training.
The investigation is specifically focused on how the Tiramisu was prepared and stored, as improper handling may have led to contamination.
PIRATA is part of a well-known restaurant group that operates several popular Hong Kong eateries.
Mexico
JUAREZ – Food Poisoning Affects Dozens at Migrant Shelter
Thirty-four people, including two children, were taken to area hospitals early Monday morning after suffering food poisoning at a municipal migrant shelter in Juarez, Mexico.
The incident occurred at the Kiki Romero shelter where migrants from various countries including Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Bolivia, and Mexico were affected.
Emergency services responded between midnight and 3 a.m., dispatching nearly a dozen ambulances to transport patients to various government hospitals.
Juarez’s mayor confirmed that all patients, including two who initially faced life-threatening conditions, were recovering by 9 a.m. Monday. Among those affected were a one-year-old child and two elderly individuals over 60 years old.
The mayor suggested the outbreak might be linked to food transportation issues rather than preparation. The meals are prepared at a separate facility that serves both the Kiki Romero shelter and the Leona Vicario federal shelter.
“Either we picked up (the food) late or they took it out early. There were no incidents at Leona Vicario, so it’s a transportation issue,” the mayor said at a Monday press conference.
The shelter, which according to recent reports from the Juarez Human Rights Office houses 105 asylum-seekers awaiting appointments in El Paso, Texas, will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
“We will be more careful, we will (investigate) what happened,” said the mayor.
Commenting on this article, one national food poisoning lawyer said, “A common theme in most of these reports is how quickly local food safety agencies responded. Regulations and laws exist to help safeguard public health and these agencies are charged with enforcing them.”
