Two more people fall ill in Taipei food poisoning outbreak

Taipei, March 31 (CNA) Two more people had sought medical attention after dining at the Xinyi branch of the Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam in Taipei last week, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said Sunday morning.

According to the MOHW's latest data as of 10 a.m. on Sunday, a total of 30 people have reported falling ill from this ongoing food poisoning outbreak in Taipei.

Among them, two have died, five are in critical condition, three have been transferred to a regular ward, and 20 have been discharged or did not require medical attention.

Most of the affected individuals said they had eaten "kway teow" (flat rice noodles) at the restaurant chain's Xinyi branch between March 19 to 24.

Among the two new cases, one is a 43-year-old woman who ate "char kway teow" -- a Malaysian-style dish consisting of "kway teow" stir-fried with egg -- at the Xinyi branch on March 24. She later became dizzy and was taken to a hospital where she was treated and subsequently discharged.

The second new case is a 54-year-old woman who developed symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, and vomiting after consuming flat rice noodles with egg gravy at the restaurant on March 19. She is currently receiving treatment at a regular hospital ward.

Q&A/Four things to know about Bongkrekic acid

March 30: 2 conditions required for Bongkrekic acid to become lethal: Doctor

In this ongoing food poisoning outbreak in Taipei, all eight individuals categorized as "severe cases" -- comprising the two fatalities, the five patients in critical condition, and one of the patients transferred to a regular ward -- have tested positive for the toxin Bongkrekic acid, according to the data from MOHW on last Friday.

Bongkrekic acid is a rare toxin induced by the contamination of bacterium Burkholderia gladioli and it can proliferate in food rich in fatty acid -- especially in coconuts and corn -- and grows rapidly in environments with a temperature of 22 to 33 degrees Celsius and a neutral pH scale.

As of last Saturday, the health authorities had yet to pinpoint how Bongkrekic acid got into the systems of the two deceased and the six others who fell severely ill.

Meanwhile, all branches of Polam Kopitiam have been ordered closed by the Taipei City Government since last Wednesday, pending an investigation into the cause of this food poisoning outbreak.

Update

April 1: No toxin found in samples from restaurant in food poisoning incident

March 31: Four more in food poisoning outbreak test positive for toxic acid

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