24/11/2018

Second case of mass gastroenteritis this month

Update 5 Dec 2018: Dozens ill after wedding banquet: Mandarin Orchard Singapore investigated for food poisoning cases

Dozens of people are understood to have fallen ill after attending a wedding lunch banquet at the Grand Ballroom of Mandarin Orchard Singapore on Sunday.

Mr Jeffrey Sivalingam, 61, the father of the bride, told The New Paper yesterday an 8-course meal had been catered for more than 400 guests.

After contacting them yesterday, the retiree said many of them had told him about falling ill after the banquet. "About 4 people from each table fell ill as well as some entire tables," he said.

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131 fall ill in third mass food-poisoning case this month

In the third case of mass food poisoning this month, 131 people – including kindergarten pupils and teachers – fell ill on Monday (26 November) after consuming food from a caterer while attending a learning camp.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said they are investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis – inflammation of the stomach and intestines which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. The outbreak was traced to the consumption of food prepared by FoodTalks Caterer & Manufacturer, located at Shimei East Kitchen along Bedok North Street 5. The three authorities carried out a joint inspection of the premises on Tuesday, with food and environmental samples taken for testing and food handlers being sent for stool screening.

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the food poisoning victims had attended a learning camp organised by Busy Bees Asia. Organisers said that the camp was stopped immediately upon the outbreak of food poisoning. As of Tuesday, 131 cases of gastroenteritis had been reported. None of the victims have been hospitalised.

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Kindergarten students, teachers hit by food poisoning at camp, caterer under investigation
A bento box prepared by FoodTalks Caterer & Manufacturer. On Monday, 131 people — including kindergarten students and teachers — were hit by gastroenteritis, although none were hospitalised

In the 3rd major case of food poisoning this month, children & teachers at a learning camp fell ill on Monday (Nov 26) after they consumed food prepared by FoodTalks Caterer and Manufacturer.

A total of 131 people — including kindergarten students and teachers — were hit by gastroenteritis, although none were hospitalised.

The camp, which was organised by Learning Horizon, a subsidiary of global childcare chain Busy Bees, was immediately suspended after the food safety incident.

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NEA suspends licence of Tung Lok Catering at Singapore Expo after reports of illnesses

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has suspended the licence of the catering arm of well-known Chinese restaurant group Tung Lok at Max Atria@Singapore Expo until further notice. The suspension, announced on NEA’s website on Friday (23 November), came after cases of gastroenteritis – inflammation of the stomach and intestines which causes vomiting and diarrhoea – were traced to the consumption of food from Tung Lok Catering at 1 Expo Drive.

In response to queries by The Straits Times, the authorities said that 190 people had reported symptoms of gastroenteritis as of Friday. None were hospitalised.

This is the second case of mass gastroenteritis cases traced to catered food this month. On 9 November, NEA announced the licence suspension of Spize Restaurant at River Valley Road after 81 cases of gastroenteritis were traced to bento-box meals prepared by the Asian fusion restaurant for an event. A 38-year-old man died after suffering the illness.

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NEA suspends TungLok Catering at Singapore Expo after at least 190 people fall ill
The National Environment Agency said the suspension of TungLok Catering's licence, which is in the interest of public health, will be until further notice. PHOTO: FACEBOOK / TUNGLOK EVENTS & CATERING

The catering arm of well-known restaurant group TungLok had its licence at the Max Atria at Singapore Expo suspended on Fri (Nov 23) after 190 people reportedly fell ill from eating food prepared at its premises.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a notice on its website on Friday that it is working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) to investigate multiple cases of gastroenteritis traced to the consumption of food from TungLok Catering at 1 Expo Drive.

In response to queries by The Straits Times, the authorities said on Saturday that a total of 190 people had reported symptoms of gastroenteritis as of Friday.

Update: 131 people down with gastroenteritis after consuming food from FoodTalks

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NEA suspends licence of TungLok Catering at Singapore Expo after 190 people fall ill, including SCDF officers

TungLok Catering's suspension will remain in effect until further notice, says NEA. (Photo: Facebook / TungLok Events & Catering)

The catering arm of well-known restaurant group TungLok has had its licence at Max Atria @ Singapore Expo suspended, after 190 people fell ill with symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were among those who fell ill.

None of the cases were hospitalised, said the Health Ministry, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in a joint response to Channel NewsAsia's queries on Sat (Nov 24).

Update: Children, teachers fall ill after food poisoning incident at camp, caterer under investigation

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Man dies after gastroenteritis outbreak at Spize Restaurant at River Valley
The Spize Restaurant outlet at River Valley Road is suspended amid a gastroenteritis outbreak. (PHOTO: Spize @ River Valley Facebook page)

The gastroenteritis outbreak at the River Valley outlet of popular Asian fusion restaurant Spize saw its first fatality on Wednesday (14 November).

Fadli Salleh, 38, had been in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Sengkang General Hospital after eating bento-box meals prepared by Spize’s River Valley outlet for an event on 6 November. Fadli was married with 2 young children.

A total of 72 people suffered gastroenteritis – inflammation of the stomach and intestines – allegedly after consuming food from Spize, growing from an initial news report of 49 cases. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday that nine people remained in hospital in stable condition, while 36 had been discharged.

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Sats Singapore officer dies after eating food from Spize

A Sats Singapore officer died last night after eating tainted food from Spize last week.

Mr Fadli Salleh, 38, a father of 2 young children, was warded in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Sengkang General Hospital after the food poisoning.

It was previously reported that his lungs & kidneys had been affected.

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Spize food poisoning: Number of cases hits 81
Spize's River Valley outlet has been suspended until further notice, and staff there have not been redeployed. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

The Health Ministry said yesterday it has linked 9 more cases of food poisoning to food catered from the River Valley branch of restaurant Spize, bringing the total to 81 people. This comes as the one person who died, 38-yr-old Fadli Salleh, was buried yesterday.

His family declined to speak to reporters. The Sats officer and father of two had been in critical condition at Sengkang General Hospital's intensive care unit.

Like others who fell ill, Mr Fadli had eaten a bento box prepared by Spize's River Valley outlet for a Deepavali celebration organised by security company Brink's Singapore and held on its premises at Kaki Bukit on Nov 6.

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Spate of food poisoning cases
Bug or contaminated source may be the cause

In the span of less than 3 weeks, Singapore has been hit with a spate of mass food poisonings, affecting over 400 people in all.

While food hygiene lapses could be one cause, Dr Chia Shi-Lu, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, told The New Paper yesterday the scale & proximity (in terms of time) of the incidences could very well point to something like a bug or contaminated source.

He added that while investigations were still ongoing and he could not say for sure what the cause might be, the fact that there were multiple incidences despite the rigorous food hygiene standards might indicate that it could be something more worrying than just hygiene.

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