The Dao Thanh Ward People's Committee announced on the evening of 17/6 that the number of suspected banh mi poisoning cases had risen from 22 to 93. Of these, 40 patients are receiving treatment at Military Hospital 120, 37 at Tien Giang General Hospital, and the remainder at My Tho Regional Medical Center and the On-Demand Examination and Treatment Department. Four patients have since been discharged, 88 individuals are in stable condition, and one case has been transferred to TP HCM.
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The Hong Ngoc banh mi establishment has closed. *Photo: Hoang Nam*
Earlier, on 16/6, patients developed symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, hand numbness, and fatigue after consuming banh mi purchased from Hong Ngoc 37 on Ly Thuong Kiet street.
The Dao Thanh Ward People's Committee organized an inter-agency food safety inspection team for the establishment. Rapid borax tests were conducted on three samples of cha lua, cha jambon, and garlic pork sausage, all yielding negative results. Tien Giang General Hospital collected 25 stool samples and 9 rectal swabs, while My Tho Regional Medical Center collected two stool samples for testing as per regulations.
The cha lua, cha jambon, and garlic sausage samples at the establishment belonged to multiple batches with various production and expiration dates. The establishment could not identify which samples were used for the banh mi in question. Consequently, the inspection team could not collect food samples for testing to determine the cause. Furthermore, the pate used for the banh mi was self-produced and had been sold out the day before, leaving no samples available.
The Hong Ngoc banh mi establishment has ceased operations pending verification results from authorities. This marks the third time that banh mi from the Hong Ngoc establishment has caused mass poisoning. The first incident, in 8/2024, saw 149 people poisoned after eating the establishment's banh mi, resulting in 380 million VND in compensation. Two months ago, 86 individuals were also poisoned after consuming banh mi from the same establishment, leading to its suspension, a 90 million VND fine, and 175 million VND in compensation.
Hong Ngoc is a large banh mi brand with over 100 establishments operating in the Mekong Delta.
Hoang Nam
