According to information from the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health), in hamlet 3, Phuoc Nang commune, Da Nang city, 2 more cases of hospitalization suspected of food poisoning after eating fermented fish have been recorded.
These two patients were hospitalized on March 18 and March 2026 respectively, and are currently being treated at Phuoc Son Regional Medical Center. This is a worrying new development in the context of the risk of food poisoning due to Botulinum toxin showing signs of increasing.
Faced with the above situation, the Food Safety Department has sent a document to the Da Nang City Department of Health, requesting urgent implementation of measures to control risks and ensure safety for people.
Accordingly, medical examination and treatment facilities are required to focus resources on actively treating patients, without affecting their health and lives. In necessary cases, it is necessary to proactively conduct inter-hospital consultations or connect with upper-level hospitals for timely professional support.
In parallel with treatment work, the local health sector needs to promote propaganda and raise awareness about food safety for health workers and the community, especially the risks associated with the use of fermented foods, such as fermented fish.
The Food Safety Department also requested to urgently investigate and trace the origin of food suspected of causing poisoning; take food and specimens for testing to determine the cause. In case violations of food safety regulations are detected, they need to be strictly handled according to regulations.
In addition, the Da Nang City Department of Health is requested to continue to monitor and update the developments of food poisoning cases related to Botulinum toxin in the area and report details to the Food Safety Department.
Medical experts warn that Botulinum toxin is one of the dangerous toxins, which can cause muscle paralysis, respiratory failure and death if not detected and treated promptly. People need to be careful when using fermented foods, especially handicraft products that do not ensure hygiene conditions.
The health sector recommends that people when they have signs of suspected poisoning such as fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle weakness after eating suspected foods, should quickly go to the nearest medical facility for examination and timely treatment.
Recently, many cases of botulinum poisoning from homemade pickled fish have occurred. Previously, in early March 2026, in Phuoc Nang commune. Da Nang, there were also 3 cases of children being poisoned by botulinum after eating pickled fish.
After that, the World Health Organization (WHO) urgently supported Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent to Da Nang to treat poisoned patients.
Botulinum poisoning is a rare but very dangerous form due to the neurotoxin of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can cause muscle paralysis, respiratory failure and death. Severe cases require detoxification and intensive resuscitation such as mechanical ventilation, blood filtration; mild cases only require resuscitation treatment.
Botulinum bacteria have anaerobic characteristics (only develop in air-deficient environments). Foods when processed are mixed with a few bacterial spores (the production process is not guaranteed to be clean), after food production is tightly packaged in bottles, jars, boxes, cans, bags without sufficient acidity and salinity, it will create conditions for bacteria to develop and secrete botulinum toxins. Botulinum toxin is extremely toxic, can be considered one of the most toxic substances today, with less than 0.1mg it can be fatal.
