According to a report from the Sa Dec Ward People's Committee, as of the morning of 23/5, 73 students and eight adults were hospitalized with symptoms of fever, nausea, and diarrhea. This marks an increase of 19 cases compared to two days prior. Currently, one patient has requested a transfer to another hospital, while 42 patients are undergoing treatment in stable condition. The remaining individuals have either been discharged or are being monitored at home.
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Huynh Minh Tuan (in blue shirt), Vice Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee, visited students suspected of food poisoning at the hospital. Photo: Van Dau |
A common factor among the 81 suspected food poisoning cases is that all affected individuals consumed the semi-boarding meal at the school on 18/5. The menu included white rice, pork siu mai, sweet mustard green soup with shrimp, water spinach, Cau bananas, and cream puffs for the afternoon snack. Upon review, stir-fried papaya was notably missing from this meal. The semi-boarding meal on 19/5 consisted of white rice, pork ribs with corn, minced pork pumpkin soup, fresh milk, and soy milk.
Health authorities have launched an investigation, collecting 13 retained food samples from the two suspected meals and 39 clinical samples to determine the cause. Test results are not yet available.
The meals were provided by an external catering unit contracted by the school. This unit exclusively provides services to Kim Dong Primary School. Ward leaders have requested that the school suspend the semi-boarding meal service pending the investigation's conclusion.
On 21/5, the Food Safety Authority, Ministry of Health, issued an official dispatch requesting local authorities to urgently investigate and address the suspected food poisoning incident.
Ngoc Tai
