4 more people ill in deadly Taipei food poisoning outbreak

Taipei, March 30 (CNA) Four more people who ate at Polam Kopitiam's Xinyi restaurant in Taipei between March 19 and March 24 have fallen ill, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on Saturday.

Based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) figures as of 10 a.m. Saturday, a total of 25 people have reported falling ill after eating at the Malaysian restaurant. Among them, two have died, five are in critical condition, one has been transferred to a regular ward and 17 have been discharged.

Three had eaten the "char kway teow" -- a Malaysian stir-fried flat rice noodle dish that contains egg -- while the other had curry rendang and iced milk tea, the MOHW said.

Rendang is a rich meat-based dish that is slow-cooked, braised in coconut milk, and seasoned with herb and spice mixture over a period of several hours.

The customer who had curry rendang on March 23 later sought medical attention after developing symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, the ministry said, indicating that the patient has since been discharged from hospital.

CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said the rice noodle dishes sold at Polam Kopitiam currently appeared to be the culprit because it was what the majority of people had at the time.

However, nothing is yet for certain, Tseng said.