Two more schools in Ho Chi Minh City suspend semi-boarding meals

Over 800 students at Thanh Da and Lam Son secondary schools have suspended semi-boarding meals starting today, following a food poisoning incident at Binh Quoi Tay primary school.

Ms. Le Thi Hong Thuy, Principal of Thanh Da Secondary School in Binh Quoi ward, announced on 13/4 that the school has suspended its semi-boarding meal program until official conclusions are reached by authorities.

This decision comes after many parents expressed concern over food safety and withdrew their children from the meal program, following a food poisoning incident last week at Binh Quoi Tay Primary School, which hospitalized nearly 200 students.

Parents are now either picking up their children for lunch or preparing packed meals for them to bring to school. The daily meal fee of 37,000 VND will be refunded by the school.

"While this causes inconvenience for parents, it offers them greater peace of mind. Today, nearly 200 students brought their own meals and stayed at school for their lunch break," Ms. Thuy stated. She added that Thanh Da Secondary School has 950 students, with over 520 previously enrolled in the semi-boarding program.

Lam Son Secondary School has issued a similar decision, affecting approximately 300 students out of its total enrollment of over 1,000.

Both Thanh Da and Lam Son secondary schools, along with Binh Quoi Tay Primary School, sourced their pre-prepared meals from the same company located in Thanh My Tay ward.

Binh Quoi Tay Primary School halted its semi-boarding meals on 9/4. Today, the Department of Health confirmed Salmonella bacteria as the cause of the food poisoning among the school's students.

According to the Department of Food Safety, the meal served on 7/4 at the school likely "had issues," leading to the incident. That day, students were served ginger-braised chicken, cabbage soup with meat, stir-fried cucumber, and plums, with flan as an afternoon snack.