3 people hospitalized after eating Hou campaign laundry pods

Changhua, Jan. 6 (CNA) At least three people were hospitalized after eating laundry pods given out as election freebies by Kuomintang (KMT) presidential nominee Hou Yu-ih's (侯友宜) Changhua campaign office.

Hung Jung-chang (洪榮章), head of Hou's Chuanghua campaign office apologized on Saturday for the incident, saying the office would work on "disseminating information" that the 460,000 laundry pods given out by the campaign were not to be eaten.

Hung told reporters that campaign staffers would visit the three individuals known to have been hospitalized after ingesting the pods.

He added that there were no plans to give out further laundry pods.

There are portraits of Hou and his running mate Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) on the packaging of the laundry pods, as well as instructions on how to use them, including a line reading: "One pod can be used to wash up to 8 kilograms of clothes."

One of those known to have ingested the pods told local media that she had mistakenly thought they were candies.

An 80-year-old man and an 86-year-old woman, both surnamed Hung (洪), were sent to Erlin Christian Hospital Friday after eating the laundry balls, and both were discharged after undergoing gastric lavage, the hospital said.

As of 8 p.m. Saturday, at least three people were confirmed to have been hospitalized after eating the laundry pods, Hou's Changhua campaign office said.

Su Ming-yao (蘇銘堯), an attending physician at New Taipei Municipal Tucheng Hospital's Department of Gastroenterology, said laundry pods contain a surfactant that causes heat to be released once entering the stomach.

Individuals ingesting the laundry pods may experience an upset stomach and a burning sensation, as well as burping, Su said.

They may also cough up blood if the chemicals inside the pods burn their stomach lining, he added.

People should seek medical advice immediately if they ingest laundry pods, Su said.