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Food Poisoning Strikes 26 in Hong Kong

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Food poisoning has struck 26 people in Hong Kong, the Center for Health Protection announced Monday.

The unit of Hong Kong's Department of Health said it was investigating five clusters of suspected food poisoning.  Here is how the Center for Health Protection described each cluster:

The first involved a male and two females aged from 12 to 51 who developed abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea about three to seven hours after consuming food purchased from a restaurant in Jordan on June 26. All of them sought medical treatment but did not require hospitalization. ?

The second group involved a male and two females aged from 17 to 56. They developed similar symptoms about three to eight hours after eating food purchased from the same restaurant on June 26. They sought medical treatment; no hospitalization was required. ?

The third was a male and a female, both 59. They developed similar symptoms about five to nine hours after eating food purchased from the same restaurant on June 27. They sought medical treatment; no hospitalization was required. ?

The fourth group involved four males and eight females aged from 14 to 80 who developed similar symptoms about two to 22 hours after consuming food from the same restaurant on June 26. Six of them sought medical treatment. No hospitalization was required.
 ?
?The fifth cluster involved a male and five females aged two and 71. They developed similar symptoms about four to eight hours after eating food purchased from the same restaurant on June 27. They sought medical treatment. A 71-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital in stable condition.

The investigation is on going. ?

The Center for Health Protection said the public is reminded to observe good personal, food, and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent foodborne diseases. When dining out:

?* Do not patronize illegal food hawkers;

* Cook food thoroughly;

?* Avoid eating raw seafood; ?

* Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi, and raw oysters in a buffet;

?* 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.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on June 30, 2010 (boomark / email).