Food poisoning cases reported at two Taipei restaurants

Taipei, April 1 (CNA) Two food poisoning cases have been reported in Taipei, one at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the other at a hotel buffet restaurant, the city's Department of Health said Monday.

Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁), the head of the department's Fodd and Drug Division, said the first case involved two people who sought treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea at a Taipei hospital on March 28 after eating at the Songjiang Nanjing branch of Japanese conveyor belt sushi chain Kura Sushi with other friends.

After receiving the report on the two patients, the department sent officials to inspect the restaurant branch, Lin said.

Because nothing was left from the same batch of food consumed by the two individuals, officials took swabs of the hands of three restaurant employees as well as samples from a knife and cutting board for further testing, Lin added.

Should the samples test positive for the same viral or bacterial strain collected from the two patients, Lin said the department will fine the restaurant between NT$60,000 (US$1,877) and NT$200 million.

Additionally, Lin said inspectors found four infractions, including not adopting the use of regulated foot-operated trash cans near a handwashing area and unsanitary environments around rice cookers and an ice cream machine.

The officials asked the branch to correct the violations in a timely manner or be subject to a fine ranging from NT$60,000 to NT$200 million.

The second case involved three individuals who sought treatment at a hospital for vomiting and diarrhea after dining with three other people at the Grand Hilai Taipei hotel's Island Buffet Restaurant in Nangang District on March 30, Lin went on to state.

Lin said health officials were sent to the restaurant on March 31 to conduct an inspection and collect samples, but she did not say if any issues related to hygiene were found.