One more dead in Taipei food poisoning outbreak

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) One more patient died in the recent food poisoning outbreak at the Xinyi branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam in Taipei, bringing the total number of deaths to three, Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Saturday.

As of Friday, 35 people were reported to have fallen ill after dining at the Xinyi restaurant from March 18-24, including two deaths reported in late March.

The latest death was one of the four severe cases under intensive care. The patient died of multiple organ failure despite having received treatment that utilized the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life-support system, Wang said.

Taipei Medical University Hospital said in a text message that the patient was transferred to the hospital on March 24, and died Saturday despite being given full treatment.

Regarding the four severe cases, one patient has received a liver transplant and is in the process of recovering, while others have been suffering severe infection, Wang said last week.

Wang said on Saturday that the condition of the remaining three severe cases remained the same as before.

According to Wang, it was clear that this incident was a case of Bongkrekic acid-led poisoning that occurred within a specific time and space.

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