Category Archives: Illness

India – 80 Students Fall Ill Due To Food Poisoning In Uttar Pradesh

NDTV

In a case of food poisoning, around 80 students from the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ashram Method Inter College in Mehroona village of this district fell ill with symptoms of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, officials said on Monday.

The incident took place after the children had a dinner Sunday night, they said.

District Magistrate Divya Mittal told reporters that the students are in stable condition while an investigation into the incident is underway.

In an official statement, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety Vinay Kumar Sahay said that a team from the Food Safety and Drug Administration inspected the inter college’s kitchen and storage area.

They collected seven samples, including prepared bread, lentils, vegetables, chili powder, chickpeas, mustard oil, and mixed pickles.

The samples were collected in the presence of the school’s director, Rajkumar Gupta, and a notice regarding storage and kitchen deficiencies is being issued.

The samples have been sent to a food laboratory for testing, and further action will be taken based on the results, Sahay said.

Singapore suspends Putien’s Senoko Kitchen, Yun Nans’ Northpoint branch amid ByteDance office food poisoning outbreak that affected 130

Yahoo News

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — Two caterers have been suspended by Singapore’s health authorities after a mass food poisoning incident at TikTok owner ByteDance’s office on Tuesday (July 30).

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that the food business operations of Yun Hai Yao at Northpoint City and Pu Tien Services at Senoko South Road have been suspended until further notice, according to a report on Singapore-based news channel Channel News Asia today.

Health authorities have mandated that both companies clean and sanitise their premises, including all equipment and utensils, and dispose of all ready-to-eat and perishable food items.

All food handlers must retake and pass the Food Safety Course Level 1 and test negative for foodborne pathogens before resuming their duties, the CNA report was quoted as saying.

The food hygiene officer must also retake and pass the Food Safety Course Level 3 before returning to work.

Pu Tien Services serves as the main and catering kitchen for Putien, while Yun Hai Yao operates the Yun Nans restaurant chain, the CNA report said.

Authorities said 130 people reported having gastroenteritis symptoms on Tuesday, with fifty-seven people taken to the hospital.

Seventeen others remain hospitalised but are in stable condition, said the report.

The others have either sought outpatient care, self-medicated, or recovered without any treatment.

Campylobacter (Sweden July 2024–)

Folkhalsomyndigheten

In the first weeks of July (July 1-July 14), the number of reported cases of campylobacter infected in Sweden increased to nearly 100 cases per week. In the following weeks (July 15-July 28), the number of reported cases increased further, to 160 and 210 cases per week respectively. The cases are found in several regions. The increase coincides with previously increased occurrence of campylobacter in broiler flocks.
The Campylobacter program in chicken in Sweden (sva.se)

Good handling of raw chicken reduces the risk of becoming infected.
Campylobacter (livsmedelsverket.se)

Denmark – Outbreak with Salmonella monophasic Typhimurium sequence type 34 in Denmark

SSI

Since April 2024, the Statens Serum Institut has registered an outbreak with 63 cases of Salmonella monophasic Typhimurium. The Statens Serum Institut, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the Norwegian Food Institute DTU are investigating the disease outbreak, which has been decreasing since June. The source of infection in this outbreak is minced beef of Danish origin.

USA- FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

FDA

What’s New

  • A new outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis illnesses (ref #1237) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated traceback.
  • A new outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis illnesses (ref #1239) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated traceback.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Irumu (ref #1235) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 31 to 32.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (ref #1234) linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated sample collection.
  • For the investigation of illnesses (ref #1233) linked to Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, and Gummies, the advisory has been updated to include additional illnesses and a list of retailers that may have received recalled product.
  • For the investigation of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1232) illnesses, the outbreak has ended and FDA’s investigation has closed.  Based on CDC’s epidemiological investigation, ill people reported eating salad mixes before becoming sick. CDC, FDA, and state and local partners conducted epidemiologic and traceback investigations and collected and analyzed finished product and environmental samples. All samples collected as part of the investigation were reported as negative for Listeria monocytogenes. The products making people sick in this outbreak are off the market and past shelf life. There is no ongoing risk to the public.

Singapore – 60 people fall ill after mass food poisoning incident at ByteDance office; SFA, MOH investigating

Channel News Asia

SINGAPORE: Authorities are investigating dozens of cases of gastroenteritis reported at TikTok owner ByteDance’s Singapore office at One Raffles Quay on Tuesday (Jul 30).

Sixty people developed symptoms of gastroenteritis and 57 of them sought medical treatment at hospitals, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint statement on Tuesday night.

A buffet section at the canteen will be closed until investigations are complete, the company said.

“We are taking this incident very seriously and are working closely with local authorities and caterers to identify the cause as soon as possible,” it added.

CNA understands that ByteDance engages licensed external vendors to cater food for its offices, and that food is not prepared or cooked at its office premises in Singapore.

Singapore- Suspension of Yun Hai Yao Pte Ltd’s and Pu Tien Services Pte Ltd’sFood Business Operations

SFA

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) are
investigating an incident of gastroenteritis affecting a total of 130 individuals who had
consumed food supplied by Yun Hai Yao Pte Ltd and Pu Tien Services Pte Ltd to
ByteDance’s office at One Raffles Quay. 17 were hospitalised and are currently stable.
The rest have sought outpatient treatment, self-medicated, or recovered without
treatment.

Japan – 130 people suffer food poisoning in Japan after eating eel – Staphylococcus aureus

Kyodo News

A total of 130 people suffered food poisoning after eating grilled eel dishes, a popular midsummer delicacy in Japan, that were sold last week at a department store in Yokohama, near Tokyo, local health authorities said Monday.

Those affected have reported symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, but most cases were not serious, the health center of the city of Yokohama said, adding that the lone death among the ill was a woman in her 90s whose exact cause of death is not known.

The health center said it detected staphylococcus aureus, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea, in the excrement of some of the people who ate the meals.

Canada – Update – Public Health Notice: Outbreak of Listeria infections linked to recalled plant-based refrigerated beverages

PHAC

This outbreak investigation is ongoing. The public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.

At a glance

Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute various recalled plant-based refrigerated beverages

At a glance
Illnesses 18
Provinces and territories with illnesses (number of illnesses)
  • Alberta (1)
  • Ontario (12)
  • Quebec (4)
  • Nova Scotia (1)
Hospitalizations 13
Deaths 2
Gender 72% female
Age range 7-89

67% of cases are 50 years of age or older

Food Recall Yes, various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based refrigerated beverages recalled nationally
Investigation status Active

USA – Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Expands Recall for Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

FSIS USDA

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2024 – Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc., a Jarratt, Va., establishment, is expanding its July 26, 2024, recall of deli meat products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The establishment is recalling approximately 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. Whole genome sequencing results show that a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes.

This expansion includes 71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. These items include meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations. These products have “sell by” dates ranging from 29-JUL-2024 through 17-OCT-24. View full product listView labels.

The products subject to recall were distributed to retail locations nationwide and some were exported to the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama. The products shipped to retailers bear establishment number “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified that a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for L. monocytogenes. The Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an outbreak investigation of L. monocytogenes infections. Further testing determined the product sample tested positive for the outbreak strain. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners to investigate the multistate outbreak of L. monocytogenes infections linked to meats sliced at delis. As of July 30, 2024, 34 sick people have been identified in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. Samples were collected from sick people from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024. The investigation is ongoing, and FSIS continues to work with the CDC and state partners. The CDC Food Safety Alert, Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis, will continue to be updated with the latest investigation details.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.