On February 23, Thanh Hoa Department of Health said that it had sent a report to the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) about a food poisoning incident that occurred on February 19 (the 3rd day of Tet) in Ngoc Lien commune, Thanh Hoa province.
According to reports, at about 11:30 am on February 19, the family of Mr. Q.V. H. (residing in Kim Thuy village, Ngoc Lien commune) organized a meal at home with a total of 18 participants.
The menu includes: buffalo meat hotpot, chicken meat, Phuc Loc Tho meat and fish eggs (suspected to be dragon fish eggs), spring rolls and sausage; drinks with white wine and cat apple wine cooked and soaked by the family.
Processing materials are mainly purchased from nearby households. Phuc Loc Tho fish and chicken are raised and self-processed by the family; the fermented pork roll is wrapped from domestically raised pork.
At about 6 pm on the same day, 3 people showed symptoms of abdominal pain intermittently around the navel, frequent vomiting, chest tightness, headache, dizziness, so they were taken to Ngoc Lien Commune Health Station for examination, then transferred to Ngoc Lac Regional General Hospital for treatment.
After that, 7 more people showed similar symptoms and were hospitalized.
Doctors at Ngoc Lac Regional General Hospital diagnosed patients with food poisoning and intestinal infections due to unidentified bacteria, suspected of being related to Phuc Loc Tho caviar.
Patients were treated with antibiotics, hydro-electrolysis, abdominal ultrasound, X-rays of the heart and lungs, electrocardiograms and underwent biochemical, blood cell, and urine tests. By noon on February 20, the health of 10 patients was stable and they were discharged from the hospital.
Through the incident, the Thanh Hoa health sector recommends that people not use food of unknown origin, wild animals or strange seafood when they do not clearly understand the safety characteristics; especially note that some ornamental fish species may contain toxins in the liver and eggs.
