At a regular press conference on the socio-economic situation on the afternoon of April 3, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam Phuong - Head of the Department of Food Poisoning Monitoring and Information and Communications, Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City shared information related to suspected food poisoning cases in the city and food safety work.
Recently, the unit received information about a number of students of Tue Duc Primary and Secondary School showing signs of suspected food poisoning after a drive-in meal on March 28. These meals are contracted by a pre- catering unit that the school has signed. Currently, students have returned to normal schooling and there have been no more serious cases.
Then, on March 31, the unit received a report from Tan Tuc Secondary School, Binh Chanh District about a number of students, teachers and staff of the school showing signs of suspected food poisoning and were hospitalized at District 11 Hospital and Binh Chanh District Hospital. Currently, most of these cases are stable and discharged from the hospital.
Currently, the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City conducts investigations and handling the case in accordance with the process and prescribed in the regulations on food poisoning investigation. Food sample test results are still not available. After the official conclusion, the unit will report to the competent authorities and publish information to the press.
Ms. Lam Phuong added that the unit was investigating the cause, taking samples of testing according to the process. Usually return results after 7 days of testing. However, this is done by the testing unit, so the Department of Food Safety Ho Chi Minh City does not take the initiative in the results.
"If we live and eat, there will be food problems. Food safety assurance work is carried out within the scope of state management, the rest is thanks to the community's awareness in improving knowledge to protect personal health" - Ms. Phuong said.
As reported by Lao Dong Newspaper on March 29, District 11 Hospital received 37 cases of hospitalization with abdominal pain, vomiting, and suspected food poisoning. Among them, there were 33 students from Tan Tuc Secondary School, Binh Chanh District, 1 6-year-old child and 3 adults.
Students went out to play at Dam Sen Cultural Park (District 11) and bought banh mi at a shop in District 6. The authorities suspected that the food poisoning was spinach. District 6 authorities have taken samples for testing.
