Two diners excluded from official count in food poisoning outbreak

04/01/2024 10:00 PM

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A vile of Bongkrekic acid procured by Taiwan's health authorities. Photo courtesy of Food and Drug Administration April 1, 2024

Taipei, April 1 (CNA) Two individuals who fell ill after dining at the Raohe branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam in Taipei have been officially excluded from the list of patients in a recent food poisoning outbreak related to the chain.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) previously identified 31 people -- 29 who dined at the chain's Xinyi branch and two who ate at the Raohe branch between March 19 and March 24 -- as being affected by the outbreak, the exact source of which has yet to be identified.

The presence of Bongkrekic acid has been identified in all of those who fell ill after dining at the Xinyi branch and were tested for the toxin -- a total of 17 people as of Monday evening.

The two individuals who got sick after eating at the Raohe branch, however, tested negative for Bongkrekic acid, prompting the MOHW to exclude them from the list of patients in the food poisoning outbreak.

Q&A/Four things to know about Bongkrekic acid

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

As of 5:30 p.m. on Monday, of the 29 people who fell ill after eating at the Xinyi branch, two have died, five are in critical condition, two are hospitalized in regular wards, 20 were able to go home after getting treated or not requiring medical attention, according to the MOHW.

Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang (王必勝) said the two Raohe branch cases will be treated as a separate food poisoning incident to be handled at the local level.

Meanwhile, at a legislative hearing Monday, Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) admitted that the cause of the incident remained unknown.

He said the emphasis was on identifying the specific steps responsible for generating Bongkrekic acid, though he acknowledged they may not be identified.

(By Sunny Lai)

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

April 1: Bacteria tests in food poisoning outbreak may be out next week: TFDA

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

March 29: Owner of restaurant chain at center of food poisoning outbreak apologizes

March 29: Bongkrekic acid found in 8 food poisoning cases; none in food samples

March 27: Suspected food poisoning outbreak in Taipei restaurant leaves one dead