Malaysia: Restaurant ordered closed after more than 100 fall ill

Thursday September 18, 2008

By C.S. NATHAN

Source of Article: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/18/nation/2057117&sec=nation

SEREMBAN: A restaurant that prepared food for guests at a wedding eve dinner on Saturday has been ordered closed, after more than 100 people fell ill and the bride’s father died several days later, after being warded for food poisoning.

The closure of the restaurant in Jalan Teng Meng Lee yesterday was ordered by the Health Department in Seremban, according to district health officer Dr Zainuddin Mohd Ali.

A health office report said the cause of the food poisoning was suspected to be “contaminated fried pork served at the dinners.”

“The findings were made after one of the victims warded at the Mawar Medical Centre tested positive for the salmonella parathypi B bacteria,” it said.

It is learnt that among those affected after consuming the food at the homes of the bride and groom, 26 were admitted to various hospitals here.

The bride’s father, Liew Kan Beng, 52, died on Tuesday morning at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital and the cause of death was suspected “acute gastroenteritis with decompensated hypovolemic shock”, the report said.

It was reported earlier that he had died of a heart attack after being warded at the hospital on Monday with symptoms of food poisoning.

Investigations by the health office revealed that the poisoning was the result of unhygienic food handling practices.

All six employees at the restaurant were found to have not taken Ty-2 jabs which was mandatory for food handlers.

The department has sent several samples of the food and faeces to its institute in Sungai Buloh for testing.

Meanwhile, 36 students from SMK Za’aba near Kuala Pilah were taken ill after consuming food at the school hostel’s cafeteria on Monday night.

State education director Datuk Abdullah Mohamad said 29 students were allowed to return to the hostel after receiving outpatient treatment at the district hospital while seven other were warded.

They had complained of stomach cramps, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting, he said, adding that the operators were being closely monitored.

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