The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (July 27) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting seven persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.
The first cluster involved three women, aged 38 to 48, who developed fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting about 13 to 26 hours after consuming food bought from a food premises in Causeway Bay on July 20.
The second cluster involved two men and two women, aged 25 to 34, who developed fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea about nine to 30 hours after consuming food bought from the same food premises on the same day.
Five of the affected persons have sought medical advice and no hospitalisation is required. All patients are in a stable condition.
"We have alerted the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to the incident and investigations are ongoing," a spokesman for the CHP said.
To prevent food-borne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
- Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
- Avoid eating raw seafood;
- Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
- Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hot pot or barbecue meal;
- Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
- Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
- Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
- Drink boiled water;
- 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.
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