　　Following the announcement yesterday (January 15) of three food poisoning clusters involving the Golden Lilies International Banquet Hall in Kowloon Bay, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 16) recorded another food poisoning cluster involving the restaurant. The four cases are believed to be epidemiologically linked, involving a cumulative total of 138 persons. An increase in the number of affected persons cannot be ruled out. The CHP appealed to those who dined at the restaurant between January 8 and 12 developed gastrointestinal symptoms to call the CHP hotline (2125 2372) for health assessment.
　　The latest cluster involved 18 persons (including one male and 17 females). They had lunch at the restaurant on January 11 and developed symptoms of food poisoning including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain and fever six to 68 hours later.
　　For the three clusters announced yesterday, the number of affected persons has increased from 57 to 120. Together with the latest cluster, the affected persons in the four clusters consisted of 54 males and 84 females. Among them, 65 persons sought medical advice, while three of them required hospitalisation and were discharged after treatment.
　　The CHP appealed to those who dined at the Golden Lilies International Banquet Hall located on G/F, Skyline Tower, 39 Wang Kwong Road, Kowloon Bay, between January 8 and 12, and developed gastrointestinal symptoms, to call the CHP hotline (2125 2372) for assessment. The hotline will operate until January 24 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday and Sunday. They should seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of infection, such as fever or feeling unwell.
To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out, one should:
- Avoid eating raw seafood;
- Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters at a buffet;
- Choose pasteurised eggs, egg products or dried egg powder for dishes that often use lightly cooked or uncooked eggs;
- Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
- Store and reheat precooked or leftover foods properly before consumption;
- Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;
- Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
- Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;
- Avoid patronising illegal food hawkers;
- Drink boiled water;
- Refrain from trying to use salt, vinegar, wine or 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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