December

Australia - Infections prompt food safety warning
23 Dec 2008
The Age [edited][iFSN]
According to this story,health authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales are warning people to be vigilant about food hygiene during the festive season after 40 cases of Salmonella in the past week and two cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of shigatoxigenic E. coli (STEC).
[12.6.005 A]


China - Cholera (Hong Kong) ex India
20 Dec 2008
EmaxHealth [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Hong Kong Department of Health is investigating a confirmed case of cholera. According to this story, the case involved a 35-year-old woman who developed vomiting and diarrhea on 10 Dec 2008 and was admitted to a private hospital the following day. She is now being isolated in Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment and in stable condition. Laboratory tests showed that her stool specimen yielded a positive result for Vibrio cholerae Ogawa. The story goes on by explaining thatCHP's investigation revealed that she had traveled to India from 27 Nov 2008 to 8 Dec 2008 with 4 family members.
[12.6.004 A]


New Zealand - Source of Salmonella outbreak stumps officials
03 Dec 2008
The Press - Kim Thomas [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, a national outbreak of a "potent" and rare type of Salmonella has health officials puzzled. Since mid-October, 36 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 42 have been reported nationwide, with 16 of them in Canterbury. It is reported that Environmental Science and Research started a national investigation about a week ago, with public health units and the Food Safety Authority trying to identify the source of the bacteria. In this story, it is also explained that the source is likely to be some form of food product. Most of the Canterbury people hit by the nasty bug are female, with many children and middle-aged women succumbing. The Ministry of Health chief adviser of population said the outbreak was a "significant" one. There have been 16 confirmed cases of type 42 in Christchurch, nine in Dunedin, five in Nelson, two in Auckland and one each in Greymouth, Rotorua, Whakatane and Waikato. There were 15 cases of type 42 last year and 28 in 2006.
Related stories
11 Dec 2008 – Update on Salmonella outbreak
Ministry of Health [edited][iFSN]
The Ministry of Health, Institute of Environmental and Scientific Research (ESR) and public health services have commenced a case-control investigation to try to identify the source of a nation-wide outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis. Tests are being carried out on multiple samples related to cases in order to identify the source of infection. Dr. Greg Simmons, the Ministry's Chief Advisor Population Health is pleased with the progress so far. "The investigation of Salmonella outbreaks where cases are dispersed across the country is both labour-intensive and challenging. We are actively following up leads as to the source of infection." Since October 13, a total of 40 cases of Salmonella gastroenteritis due to infection with a particular strain (Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 42) have been reported from around the country. Those infected have suffered from fever, headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Cases have been notified from the following health districts: Auckland (1), Waikato (1), Lakes (1), Bay of Plenty (2), Taranaki (1), Nelson Marlborough (6), West Coast (1), Canterbury (16), Otago (9), and Southland (2). Food handlers with Salmonella infection and diarrhea and/or vomiting should be excluded from commercial kitchens until the infection has cleared. Consumers with gastroenteritis should avoid preparing meals for others. If you must do so, care should be taken to ensure proper handwashing and to follow the four Cs - clean, cook, cover, and chill.
13 Dec 2008 – Rare Salmonella type strikes South again
Otago Daily Times - Elspeth McLean [edited][iFSN]
Another case of a rare type of Salmonella has been identified in Otago and Southland this week, but health authorities have yet to establish the cause of the infection. The new case brings to 11 the number of Otago-Southland people to have the illness since October 13, about a-quarter of the total cases throughout the country. Nine of the cases have been in Otago and two in Southland. Most of the 40 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 42 found have been from the South Island, with only six cases identified in the North Island. The Public Health South medical officer of health said initial investigations had not given any definitive source of infection.
19 Dec 2008 - Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium Type 42
New Zealand Food Safety Authority [edited] [Promed]
Ivestigations into the outbreak of Salmonella [enterica subtype] Typhimurium phage type 42 have found a detection of the bacteria in samples of flour taken from the home of one of the affected people. A further sample, from a 2nd case's home, has been provisionally confirmed as positive also. The following brands of flour could be affected: Champion, Edmonds, Homelife and Pam's brand plain flours with best before dates between June and July 2009.
NZFSA has informed the manufacturer of the finding. The manufacturer has fully cooperated and acted responsibly and has implemented a voluntary trade withdrawal. The source of the bacteria is not known, and investigations are continuing, says Geoff Allen, NZFSA Director (Compliance and Investigation)."It is possible for low levels of bacteria to be on wheat or other points of the flour milling process, and studies indicate that about one percent of flour on average contains Salmonella," he added.
[12.6.003 A]

Hong Kong finds melamine in another batch of eggs from China
03 Dec 2008
Wall Street Journal 6 Sky Canaves [edited][iFSN]
Hong Kong authorities said they found excessive amounts of the industrial chemical melamine in a fourth batch of eggs from mainland China, over a month after they last found elevated melamine levels in eggs from the mainland. In a statement issued late Tuesday, food safety authorities said egg samples from northeastern China's Jilin province were found to contain 4.7 parts per million of melamine, nearly double Hong Kong's legal limit of 2.5 parts per million.
[12.6.002 A]

Philippines - Hepatitis A downs 17 in Limasawa island
02 Dec 2008
ABS-CBN News - Melanie L. Bingco [edited][iFSN].
According to this story, authorities have confirmed 17 of the reported 23 Hepatitis A cases in the village of Triana in Limasawa Island in Southern Leyte. It is reported that the Department of Health (DOH) said that spread of the disease is already contained. It is also explained that the mode of transmission of the disease is still being traced out by authorities. “It may be through food or water which has been contaminated with infected stool,” said the regional sentinel nurse, adding that only a few of the villagers have their own toilet.
[12.6.001 A]

November

Philippines - Cholera (Misamis Oriental)
17 Nov 2008
Sun Star Network [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, two people have died and more than 500 others have fallen ill due to a suspected cholera outbreak in at least 8 barangays [districts] in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. The Tagoloan Mayor identified the affected barangays as Poblacion, Baluarte, Sugbongcogon, Bogoac, Sta Cruz, Casinglot, Mohon, and Sihayon. The Provincial health chief said his office is still investigating the health crisis. He, however, said the cause of the illnesses might be cholera. He said they have yet to confirm if the water source may have been the cause of the outbreak. He said Tagoloan has two sources of water, the Tagoloan Water Works and the Mactan Rock in Natumolan. He pointed out that some of the sick do not have a water line connection. The suspected cholera outbreak was first reported last Saturday night [15 Nov 2008] when 12 people exhibiting cholera symptoms were brought to the Tagoloan Municipal Health Unit (MHU). More people were brought to the MHU Sunday [16 Nov 2008] and Monday [17 Mon 2008] morning, he added. As of this posting Monday [17 Nov 2008], 23 suspected cholera victims have been confined in the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) and more than 30 others at the Tagoloan Polymedic Hospital. The Tagoloan Polymedic Hospital has refused to accept more patients due to the lack of available rooms and beds.
[11.6.010 A]

China — Outbreak of clenbuterol food poisoning
16 Nov 2008
The Epoch Times - Xin Fei [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, Clenbuterol food poisoning was reported in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. Since November 10, 70 employees of the Zhongmao Plastics Products Company in Jiaxing have been diagnosed. A pork dish served at the Zhongmao cafeteria lunch meal was identified as the source. It is reported that a Chinese hospital doctor confirmed that the patients shared similar and obvious symptoms: palpitation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, chest tightness, uneasiness, shaking, trembling, weakness, and instability. The doctor said, “Some patients have been seen at the hospital. More than 20 patients suffered from severe poisoning. Others were seen at other hospitals. Most patients have been released. Those who were in critical condition have also been stabilized, although the side effects are yet to be observed.” The doctor mentioned that because one of his relatives owns a pig feed company, he was made aware of the ‘secret’ about pig feed additives. Clenbuterol added to feed will not only shorten the growth time, but also increase the sale price. Growth hormone is also added. Poison chemicals such as arsenic have also been added to enhance the redness and shine of the pork skin and hair. Some might even add tranquilizers or sleeping pills to make pigs sleep. Long-term consumption of pork adulterated with these feeds might lead to retardation. The hormones and chemicals could also endanger lives and lead to many illnesses.
[11.6.009 A]

China - 1,300 still hospitalized from CHINA's tainted milk
12 Nov 2008
International Herald Tribune/Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that a state news agency reports that 1,272 infants are still hospitalized in China with illnesses stemming from baby formula contaminated with chemicals. Xinhua News Agency cited the Ministry of Health as saying two of the babies were in serious condition. Xinhua said Wednesday that the number of hospitalized infants was down from 2,390 two weeks ago. No new deaths were reported.
Related Stories
11 Nov 2008- China (Macau SAR) – More children developed kidney stones
GMA News GMA News.TV [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, Macau authorities say 3 more children in the Chinese gambling enclave have developed kidney stones that may be linked to Chinese milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. A government statement says the 3 girls aged from 4 to 8 are in stable condition and do not require hospitalization. The Monday [10 Nov 2008] statement says the children attend schools where authorities provide students with free milk produced by Yili Industrial Group Co.
14 Oct 2008China – Chinese parents file milk lawsuit
14 Oct 2008 – CHINA recalls more dairy products
New York Times - Edward Wong [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, the Chinese government ordered a recall on Tuesday of all milk products produced before Sept. 14 and still on the shelves so the products can be tested for the toxic chemical melamine. It is reported that meanwhile, a lawyer based in Shanghai has filed a lawsuit in Gansu Province on behalf of a family whose 6-month-old son, died in May after drinking tainted baby formula
13 Oct 2008 – CHINESE dairy blames subcontractors for tainting
Associated Press - Christopher Bodeen [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, the president of Bright Dairy said his company, one of the largest in the Chinese dairy industry, had been "too nice" toward milk collection stations that bought milk from farmers.
13 Oct 2008 – Dairy giants issue first public apology for scandal
China Daily -He Bolin [edited][iFSN]
Top managers of the country's three leading dairy companies - Mengniu, Yili and Bright Dairy - issued their first public apology Sunday for their companies' involvement in the ongoing contaminated milk scandal.
08 Oct 2008 – CHINA keeps quiet on child victim numbers in milk scandal
AFP, AP - Marianne Barriaux, The Age [edited][iFSN]
China has refused to say how many children have been affected by the tainted milk scandal, but insists it is working hard to boost confidence. The Health Ministry said it had new statistics showing how many babies had been made ill, but did not release the data and gave no indication of if or when they would be made public. Earlier official figures said milk powder tainted with the chemical melamine had claimed the lives of four children and made a further 53,000 ill.
08 Oct 2008 – CHINA milk victims may have reached 94,000
Reuters - Yu Le
International Herald Tribune - Edward Wong [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, the toll of Chinese children ill from toxic milk formula may have nearly doubled since the Health Ministry's last public count, local media reports show, but an official said on Wednesday the number of new cases was falling. It is reported that the government has not updated figures issued on September 21, when it said that 12,892 infants were in hospitals, 104 with serious illness, and close to 40,000 others were affected but did not need major treatment.
The story goes on by explaining that reports from local media across the country compiled by Reuters suggest the number of affected children has risen to nearly 94,000, although most are not in a serious condition. According to the official Xinhua agency, in some areas diagnoses rocketed up in the space of just a few days. In the most extreme case, northwestern Gansu province, the number of sick children climbed to 13,459 by Sept 26 from 1,695 a week earlier.
Worst hit so far is central Henan province, with over 30,000 cases by the end of September. Neighbouring Hebei also has nearly 16,000 cases. It is also related that as part of an ongoing effort to restore confidence, the government released new dairy safety standards, that set limits on melamine. The limits set by the Ministry of Health's new standards are one milligram of melamine per kilogram for infant formula, 2.5 milligrams per kilogram for liquid milk, milk powder and food products containing at least 15 percent milk. .
Hebei province has already arrested 27 people suspected of involvement in contaminating milk with melamine. Sanlu group's chairwoman Tian Wenhua was also detained last month.
06 Oct 2008 – Scandal will turn milk sour - for a time
New Zealand Herald - Owen Hembry [edited][iFSN]
06 Oct 2008 – CHINA detains 6 more people in milk scandal
Associated Press - Gillian Wong [edited][iFSN]
05 Oct 2008 – China strives to curb fall-out from tainted milk scandal
AFP [edited][iFSN]
05 Oct 2008 – Hong Kong finds melamine in two Cadbury products
ABC News Online (Australia)/AFP [edited][iFSN]
04 Oct 2008 – CHINA’s dairy farmers squeezed by milk scandal
The New York Times - David Barboza [edited][iFSN]
02 Oct 2008 – Additional 31 batches of milk powder were found to contain melamine
China.org.cn [edited][Promed]
02 Oct 2008 – 12 per cent of milk products tainted: CHINA safety agency
TODAYonline [edited] [iFSN]
01 Oct 2008
Wall Street Journal [edited][Promed]
China - CHINA vows safe food action as Lipton recalls milk-tea
30 Sep 2008
Reuters -Jason Subler [edited][iFSN]
30 Sep 2008- HONG KONG: Melamine found in more Chinese food products
USA Today - The Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, Hong Kong authorities say they have found an industrial chemical in Chinese-made biscuit sticks, walnut and coconut cakes. The Center for Food Safety says in a statement issued Tuesday that it found melamine in Pocky Men's coffee cream coated biscuit stick, which is produced by Japanese brand Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd. It is also reported that two other samples of coconut and walnut cakes manufactured by Tian Le Yuan Foods Co. Ltd. in southern China were also found to contain melamine.
29 Sep 2008 – Toxic milk raids: 22 people held
Sky News [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, police have detained 22 people accused of involvement in the contamination of milk in China, as Cadbury confirms melamine has been found in its Chinese-made chocolates. More than 480lb of the industrial chemical melamine was seized during the raids in Hebei province, according to the official news agency Xinhua. It reported that a police investigation showed melamine was produced in underground plants and then sold to breeding farms and milk purchasing stations.
29 Sep 2008 – Fonterra to investigate cover-up claim
New Zealand Herald - Martha McKenzie-Minifie [edited][iFSN]
26 Sep 2008 – San Lu milk powder has lethal bacteria
New Zealand Herald - Lincoln Tan
25 Sep 2008 – 3 milk products sold in Macao confirmed melamine-contaminated
Xinhua News Agency (China) [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that Macao's health authorities on Thursday confirmed that three milk products, including biscuits, liquid milk and baby formula, sold in Macao were confirmed to be contaminated with melamine. The three products are Lotte Koala Biscuit (net weight 50 gram), Nestle's baby formula NESLAC Gold Growing Up 1+ Tin (net content 900 gram) and the Mengniu Breakfast Milk (net volume 900 gram), according to a press statement from the Special Administration Region's Health Bureau (SSM), which said it tested a total of 35 various milk products sold in the local market in a single batch.
24 Sep 2008- Hong Kong - Melamine found in cakes, new cases
The Standard [edited] [Promed]
24 Sep 2008 - Hong Kong, Macau
Sydney Morning Herald [edited] [Promed]
24 Sept 2008 – CHINA's milk scandal bares government shortcomings
Associated Press - Charles Hutzler
23 Sep 2008 – CHINA launches clean-up of 'out of control' milk depots
Press release [edited][iFSN]
22 Sep 2008 – Who review
WHO Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) [edited]
22 Sep 2008 – Timeline
Associated Press [edited] [Promed]
A chronology of events in the tainted baby formula scandal that has been blamed for the deaths of 4 infants and for sickening nearly 53 000 others in China:

- December 2007: Sanlu Group Co. receives complaints from consumers that its infant formula was sickening babies, according to state broadcaster China Central Television, citing findings from a State Council investigation.

- June 2008: Sanlu learns its milk powder is contaminated with melamine, CCTV says.

- 30 Jun 2008: China's product quality watchdog receives a complaint that 5 infants at the Hunan province children's hospital have kidney stones and were all fed Sanlu brand milk powder, according to data on the website of China's food safety watchdog that has since been removed.

- 24 Jul 2008: A pediatrician tells the watchdog he has seen 9 cases of kidney stones in infants, all of whom drank Sanlu formula. The unidentified doctor expresses concern over the milk powder, according to data on the watchdog website that has since been removed.
- 2 Aug 2008: Sanlu alerts the government of Shijiazhuang, the northern Chinese city where the company is based, that its infant formula is tainted, according to CCTV. At a Sanlu board meeting, New Zealand dairy farmers' group Fonterra, a major investor in the company, learns about complaints of sick babies and urges an immediate recall.
- 6 Aug 2008: Sanlu pulls baby milk powder from distributors but does not do a public recall.
- 8 Aug 2008: The Beijing Olympics open and run until 24 Aug 2008.
- 5 Sep 2008: Fonterra informs New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark about the issue. Three days later, Clark orders New Zealand officials to inform officials in Beijing.
- 9 Sep 2008: Shijiazhuang city officials inform Hebei provincial officials. A day later, Hebei provincial officials contact the central government.
- 11 Sep 2008: Sanlu publicly recalls 700 tons of baby formula. Government vows "serious punishment" for those responsible. Xinhua reports dozens of babies have kidney stones and that one baby has died.
- 13 Sep 2008: Vice Health Minister Gao Qiang says 432 babies fed Sanlu formula have developed kidney stones. Gao blames Sanlu for delays in warning the public and launches an inspection of all Chinese formula companies. Hebei's vice governor says authorities have seized 2176 tons of Sanlu formula and recalled 8218 tons.
- 15 Sep 2008: Number of sickened children rises to more than 1200, with 2 deaths. China's quality watchdog says contamination occurred mainly at farms, which sell raw milk to dairy companies. Sanlu's vice president apologizes but does not explain the delay in informing the public.
- 16 Sep 2008: A nationwide inspection of 109 Chinese baby milk powder companies uncovers 22 with traces of melamine. Sanlu General Manager Tian Wenhua is fired and dismissed from board of directors, state media reports.
- 17 Sep 2008: China's 2 largest dairies, Mengniu Dairy Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co., recall baby formula. Health minister says 3 babies have died and more than 6200 others have been sickened. China deploys 5000 inspectors to companies producing baby milk.
- 18 Sep 2008: Authorities arrest 12 more people, bringing total detained to 18. Police confiscate 660 pounds of suspected chemicals.
- 19 Sep 2008: Crisis widens after government tests find melamine in liquid milk produced by 3 of China's leading dairies.
- 21 Sep 2008: Health ministry reports the number of sickened children soars to nearly 53 000, with 12 892 hospitalized and 104 in serious condition. The Chinese territory of Hong Kong reports the 1 st known illness outside mainland China, a 3-year-old girl who developed kidney stones after drinking Chinese dairy products.
- 22 Sep 2008: The head of China's product quality watchdog agency resigns.

22 Sep 2008 – CHINA's food safety chief quits over tainted milk
Associated Press - Anita Chang [edited][iFSN]
21 Sep 2008 – CHINA says nearly 13,000 sick in milk scandal
Reuters - Chris Buckley [edited][iFSN]
21 Sep 2008 – China milk scandal claims first victim outside mainland
USA Today - Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
20 Sep 2008 – CHINA contaminated milk formula scandal puts babies at risk in other countries
The Times - Jane Macartney [edited][iFSN]
19 Sep.08 – CHINA says more milk products show signs of being tainted
New York Times - Edward Wong [edited][iFSN]
18 Sep 2008 – 12 more arrested in CHINA's tainted milk scandal
USA Today - Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
18 Sep 2008 – Two dairy giants apologize to consumers
China Daily [edited][iFSN]
18 Sep 2008 – HONG KONG recalling Chinese dairy's products
USA Today - The Associated Press
18 Sep 2008 – Melamine found in ordinary milk in CHINA
Radio Netherlands Worldwide [edited][iFSN]
17 Sep 2008 – 6, 000 babies in CHINA sickened by tainted milk powder
USA Today/AP [edited][iFSN]
17 Sep 2008 – CHINA to test all dairy products for melamine
China Daily - Xinhua News Agency [edited][iFSN]
16 Sept 2008 - China Milk Scandal Widens as Melamine Found in Yogurt
Bloomberg - Lee Spears and Dune Lawrence [edited]
16 Sep 2008 - Two more arrested in CHINA's baby formula contamination scandal
Xinhua News Agency [edited][iFSN]
15 Sep 2008 – New - Zealand results from the tests
NZFSA [edited]
New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) today announced the first 72 results from tests of infant formula sold on the New Zealand market had now been received from the laboratory and none of the product tested showed any contamination with melamine. New Zealand imports only very small amounts of conventional dairy products such as milk, milk powder and cheese from China, but NZFSA is also looking at other processed foods where dairy ingredients may be a significant component. Any product lines identified as containing Chinese dairy product as a significant ingredient will be targeted for testing and the results made public.
15 Sep 2008 – Milk collecting centers targeted in contamination probe
China Daily - Zhu Zhe [edited][iFSN]
The 19 people detained in the Sanlu milk food contamination case are from private milk collecting stations, the country's top quality control official said Sunday. According to this story, dairy farmers are not likely to be responsible for the contamination that caused kidney stones in about 580 infants, one of who died on Thursday, he said. "It's unlikely that dairy farmers mixed the industrial chemical melamine in fresh milk. We believe the contamination is more likely to have occurred at milk collecting stations," the minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), told China Daily.
15 Sep 2008 – Tainted milk powder sickens 1,253 babies
China Daily [edited][iFSN]
The number of Chinese infants stricken with kidney stones caused by contaminated milk powder soared to 1,253 with two dead as of 8 a.m. on Monday, the Ministry of Health said here on Monday. According to the ministry, most of the cases occurred in Hebei, Jiangsu and Gansu provinces. It is reported that the two deaths were both in the northwest Gansu Province. Among the babies, 53 were in critical condition while 340 were receiving hospital treatment. The remaining 913 diagnosed with light symptoms were either receiving treatment outside hospital or were cured, the ministry said at a press conference.
14 Sep 2008 – New Zealand baby food tested after China health investigation
Stuff.co.nz [edited][iFSN]
14 Sep 2008 – CHINA vows better food safety after baby milk scandal
AFP/Xinhua News - Jiang Yuxia [edited] [iFSN]
14 Sep 2008 – Fonterra knew of poisoned milk
Stuff.co.nz [edited] [iFSN]
13 Sep 2008 – CHINESE dairy knew milk contaminated
The Associated Press - Joe McDonald [edited][iFSN]
13 Sep 2008 – CHINA detains 19 as toxic formula sickens hundreds of infants
The New York Times - David Barbaroza [edited][iFSN]
12 Sep 2008 – Health ministry starts nationwide haul of infant kidney stone cases
Xinhua [edited] [Promed]
11 Sep 2008 – Health scare in CHINA over contaminated baby milk powder
AFP [edited] [iFSN]
10 Sep 2008 - Kidney Stones – Milk powder suspected (Gansu)
Reuters [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, a Chinese hospital has received 14 kidney stone patients, all infants under 11 months who drank the same brand of milk formula,. The infants, from a rural area of northwest Gansu province, were all admitted in the past 2 months, Xinhua news agency said, citing doctors at a local hospital. Parents told the hospital their babies had all been drinking the same milk powder, Xinhua added without mentioning the brand.
9 Sep 2008 – Infant illness linked to milk powder
Shanghai Daily [edited]
[11.6.008 A]

China- Cholera
11 Nov 2008
Shanghai Daily [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, yesterday [10 Nov 2008], 7 more cholera cases were confirmed in China's southernmost Hainan Province, bringing the total number afflicted by the outbreak to 37. The 7, all students at Hainan University, and another student suspected of having the illness, were in quarantine at Haikou Municipal People's Hospital, a university spokesman said. More than 70 students with stomach problems were also receiving treatment at the hospital. Students at Hainan University began complaining of diarrhea on Wed 5 Nov 2008. It is reported that university authorities sealed off the campus on Sat 8 Nov 2008, with only authorized personnel and vehicles allowed to enter. Students have been banned from leaving the campus. Another 30 cases of cholera were confirmed as of 11 am on Fri 7 Nov 2008, in Danzhou City.
[11.6.007]

Viet Nam - Cholera - (Ha Tinh)
11 Nov 2008
Viet Nam News (VNS) [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, as many as 35 people in Ha Tinh City have been stricken with acute diarrhea. The latest information from the provinces Preventive healthcare Centre said that of those affected by acute diarrhea, 11 have tested positive for Vibrio cholera bacteria. It is reported that Thach Kim Commune in Loc Ha District is the hardest hit with 30 people hospitalized as of yesterday [10 Nov 2008] morning due to the epidemic. Two household wells in the commune were tested by the centre and found to contain the bacteria. The 1st patient was hospitalized on [2 Nov 2008]. It appears he contracted the disease while fishing in Thach Kim Commune, Loc Ha District. The director of the Preventive Healthcare Centre of Loc Ha District, said that about 2500 people in Thach Kim Commune were living without toilets and often relieved themselves on the beach. "A more serious concern is that residents often wash fish with the local water source and sell them to other areas."
[11.6.006 A]

New Zealand - Stomach bugs still prevalent in Timaru
08 Nov 2008
Timaru Herald [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, Timaru continues to have a high level of Campylobacter and Cryptosporidium cases. The South Canterbury Health District received notification of 15 cases of Campylobacter and 13 cases of Cryptosporidium in Timaru during October 2008. The South Canterbury medical officer of health said the continued high level of notification stomach infections was similar to the September levels in the region. These enteric diseases cause diarrhoea, nausea and pain and these symptoms can be serious.
[11.6.005 A]

China - Illness strikes hundreds of cruise ship passengers
05 Nov 2008
Shanghai Daily - Tom Qian [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, Shanghai’s entry-exit authority has confirmed that more than 200 passengers on a visiting luxury cruise ship have suffered from diarrhea and vomiting upon arrival in the city early yesterday morning. The Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau investigated immediately after the Diamond Princess arrived about 7am yesterday. It is reported that inspectors took samples of some sick passengers after the ship sailed into Waigaoqiao and have sent them to labs for testing. Results are expected within 24 hours. The cruise ship started its trip in Thailand and had stopped in Singapore, Hong Kong and Keelung in Taiwan. It headed to Shanghai from Japan on Sunday with 3,665 passengers and a crew of 1,099. Ship operators reported the illnesses to the quarantine bureau while en route to Shanghai.
[11.6.004 A]

Australia - 600 gastro cases sweep South AUSTRALIA
04 Nov 2008
AdelaideNow - Tory Sheperd [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, dozens of gastro outbreaks affecting more than 600 people have hit the state's communities, aged care and childcare facilities so far this year. It is reported than in October alone, there were two major outbreaks of the potentially deadly norovirus infection, one affecting almost 40 people. Most cases investigated by SA Health were norovirus, but the latest statistics show shigella cases are about three times as high as average this year. It comes as the Federal Health Department warns that new strains have been hitting Australian shores in the past couple of years.
[11.6.003 A]

China - Cholera - (Hainan)
2 Nov 2008
The Epoch Times [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, an 8-year-old girl died of complications due to a cholera outbreak in Hainan Province in late October 2008. There have been a confirmed 30 cases and 297 others, which are suspected to be cholera in Danzhou City. It is reported that as of 22 Oct 2008, there have been 135 people hospitalized with cholera or are suspected of cholera infection. 60 patients are currently in the Hsingyin Hospital. Local doctors said that Huangyu Village is one of the most severely hit areas. Many villagers have suffered from persistent and frequent diarrhea accompanied by vomiting. Experts believe that the flood caused by heavy rainfall in the south in early October 2007 is the cause of the cholera outbreak. It is reported also that the earliest cholera case occurred 4 months ago. On 12 Jun [2008], a patient, along with 57 others ate food at Heili Village in Haikou City; 26 of them later suffered from diarrhea. On 19 Jun 2008, the Disease Control Center confirmed that the patient was infected with Vibrio cholerae .
[11.6.002 A]

New Zealand - Gastroenteritis outbreak at uni
01 Nov 2008
Newstalk ZB - tvnz.co.nz [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, an outbreak of gastroenteritis has struck down 60 students at Massey University.
[11.6.001 A]

October

Taiwan - Student dies during steamed bun eating contest at university
24 Oct 2008
Taipei Times - Flora Wang [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, an eating contest at a local university ended in tragedy when a graduate student died after participating in a steamed bun eating competition. It is reported that a 23-year-old student, from the Graduate Institute of Bioindustry Technology could not stop vomiting and fell unconscious after he began to feel uncomfortable during the school’s eating competition on Wednesday. School medical personnel immediately performed CPR on the student and an ambulance was called which rushed him to a nearby hospital, but the student was pronounced dead after emergency staff at the hospital had preformed 90 minutes of resuscitation. The cause of death remains unclear, but doctors said that the student may have choked to death. The contestants were competing in an event to see who could finish two steamed buns stuffed with egg and cheese in the fastest time.
[10.6.014 A][10.6.013A]

Japan - Woman left ill after eating contaminated instant noodles
24 Oct 2008
The Mainichi Daily News
According to this story, an elderly woman was left sickened after eating instant noodles contaminated with the insect repellent para-dichlorobenzene (pDCB), in the latest in a string of food safety scares to afflict the country. Despite giving off a vile smell during preparation, a 67-year-old Fujisawa resident ate part of the contents of a Nissin Foods Cup Noodle package contaminated with the chemical on Oct. 20, leading her to vomit and suffer from a numb, inflamed tongue. The symptoms subsided around two hours later. Her husband, 75, also suffered an inflamed tongue after trying the noodles. The couple said they did use the chemical -- an active ingredient in mothballs -- on their stored clothes during September, but hadn't used it on the day in question. The noodles, which were produced at Nissin's Kanto factory in Ibaraki Prefecture, were bought at a supermarket in Fujisawa in late September, and had an expiry date of Jan. 30, 2009. The city public health center delivered a report to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on Thursday, but it's thought unlikely the noodles were contaminated during manufacture.
Related stories
24 Oct 2008 – Recall issued for tainted JAPANESE noodles
Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that one of Japan's largest instant noodle makers said it was issuing a nationwide recall after a woman grew sick when she ate a cup of noodles that was later found to be tainted with an insecticide. The food producer said Friday that it was recalling the products and advised customers not to eat noodles that had an odd smell or damaged packaging. The recall only applies to the Cup Noodle brand instant noodles in Japan. The recall covers 500,000 cups of instant noodles, according to Japanese media reports.
[10.6.013 A][10.6.012A]

China - 43 students sickened in S. CHINA
23 Oct 2008
Xinhua News Agency [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that more than 40 teenagers showed symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting at a school in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, but the source of the malaise remained unknown, local health authorities said on Thursday. By Thursday noon, 43 students, mostly seventh graders, had been sickened:
[10.6.012[10.6.011 A]

China - Dozens poisoned at pair of weddings
21 Oct 2008
Metro.co.uk [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, two Chinese wedding banquets held on successive nights at the same restaurant have put at least 60 guests into hospital with food poisoning. Of around 250 villagers who attended the banquets in a rural suburb of Beijing, at least 60 were rushed to hospital in the following days. It is reported also that this month, 170 guests were poisoned at a wedding banquet in the neighbouring province of Hebei when powdered rust remover was added to the pot instead of salt.
[10.6.011[10.6.010 A]

New Zealand - Virus hits students as exams begin
18 Oct 2008
stuff.co.nz - The Press [edited][iFSN]
A possible norovirus outbreak has hit Lincoln University on the eve of exams.
Fifteen students living in campus halls of residence or flats were ill yesterday and had been isolated in a university accommodation block.
[10.6.010[10.6.009 A]

Japan – China – Organophosphate insecticide in frozen vegetables
15 Oct 2008
Reuters [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that a Japanese supermarket chain pulled frozen beans produced in China from its shelves on Wednesday [15 Oct 2008] after they were found to be tainted with pesticide, the latest in a string of food safety scandals to hit Chinese producers. At least one woman was briefly hospitalised with vomiting and a numb mouth after eating the green beans imported by Nichirei Foods and sold in Ito-Yokado supermarkets, media reports said. The Chinese manufacturer of the product told a news agency it had halted shipments of all its products following the incident. It is reported that tests showed one package of beans contained 34,000 times the permitted level of dichlorvos, a highly toxic insecticide, Japan's Health Ministry said. A Chinese official added that the batch of beans had passed all safety tests at Chinese customs, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.
It is reported also that in a separate incident, toluene, a solvent, was found in Chinese-produced sweet beans that made a woman living north of Tokyo slightly ill, Kyodo news agency said on Wednesday [15 OCT 2008].
Related stories
15 Oct 2008 – Tainted Chinese beans pulled in Japan
16 Oct 2008 – CHINA blames criminals for toxic beans
AFP [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, China said on Thursday that criminal elements were likely responsible for high levels of pesticide being found in Chinese frozen beans sold in Japan, clearing the local company of any wrongdoing. It is reported that a woman fell ill from eating this product and that two more people have also complained of illness after consuming the beans. Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that police presumed the pesticide was deliberately inserted but had not concluded where.
16 Oct 2008 – Pesticide beans pulled from JAPAN shelves
ABC [iFSN]
[10.6.009[10.6.008 A]

Viet Nam - Cholera (Nghe An)
14 Oct 2008
China View, Xinhua News Agency report [edited] [Promed]
More than 50 people in Quynh Luu district of Viet Nam's central Nghe An Province have recently been hospitalized with acute diarrhea, with 23 patients tested positive for cholera, the Viet Nam News reported on Tuesday [14 Oct 2008], citing source from the provincial health department. The department said the Mai Giang River, which runs through the district, is the main cause of the epidemic, as Vibrio cholerae bacteria was discovered in the river. According to this story, many of the seafood sourced from the river, including fish and oysters, have been found to be infected with the bacteria, according to the department.
[10.6.008[10.6.007 A]

Hong Kong SAR - Cholera - ex Nepal
14 Oct 2008
China View, Xinhua News Agency report [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health of Hong Kong has confirmed a cholera case involving a 6-year-old local boy. A spokesman for the Center said on Monday [13 Oct 2008] that laboratory tests on stool specimens taken from the boy who was admitted to Hospital last week [week of 6 Oct 2008] for suspected cholera have yielded positive result for Vibrio cholerae serotype Ogawa. It is reported that the boy arrived from Nepal on 3 Oct 2008 and his travel companions have no symptoms and that he is now in stable condition. According to the center, this is the fifth cholera case reported in 2008 in the city, and there were 3 in 2007.
[10.6.007[10.6.006 A]

New Zealand – Norovirus Oysters (North Island)
13 Oct 2008
Whangarei Northern Advocate (New Zealand) [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that Bay of Islands oysters are off the menu after 3 Northlanders who ate oysters from the Kerikeri Inlet came down with a nasty stomach bug. The oysters were sold in Auckland and Northland last week, but the company which sold them has since voluntarily taken them off the market. Health authorities are warning people not to collect shellfish in the area until they can establish where the contamination came from. A Northland medical officer of health said test results from oysters harvested from the area showed that they were infected with norovirus, a micro-organism [a virus] found in human feces. He would not say where the contaminated oysters had been sold or what brand they were, saying that was the responsibility of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. The authority could not be contacted yesterday [12 Oct 2008], but Dr. Jarman confirmed the oysters were no longer in shops. According to this story, the source of the initial outbreak in Northland could not be determined, but when further cases were reported in Auckland, a particular brand of oysters was pinned down as the source of the illness. The story goes on by explaining that the company tested its product and found the oysters came from the batch which made the Northlanders ill and pulled them from the market. It was not clear whether the oysters were contaminated while still in the water or during harvesting and processing.
Related stories
15 Oct 2008 – Seafood contamination under investigation
The Bay Chronicle
A Northland medical officer of health says that it is best that people do not collect shellfish from this area until more information is available. All shellfish farming in the inlet was closed while the source of the suspected outbreak was investigated. It is reported that last week high levels of a potentially toxic species of phytoplankton were detected at Tapeka Pont in the Bay of Islands.
13 Oct 2008 Kerikeri shellfish maybe infected
Newstalk ZB - tvnz.co.nz [edited][iFSN]
Northland health authorities are warning people shellfish collected from the Kerikeri Inlet may be infected with norovirus.
[10.6.006[10.6.005 A]

China - 61 Chinese banquet guests suffer food poisoning
13 Oct 2008
GMANews.TV - Associated Press [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that state media says 61 villagers in northwest China were hospitalized for food poisoning after attending a wedding banquet. Xinhua News Agency said Monday the villagers from Gansu province all suffered from fevers, stomachache, diarrhea and vomiting after attending last week's dinner. The report said 17 patients were discharged but the others remained hospitalized. No deaths were reported, and samples of the food served at the banquet were being tested.
[10.6.005 A]Nepal - Dysentery (Central Region)12 Oct 2008China View, Xinhua News Agency report [edited] [Promed] According to this story, around 400 people in central Nepal are affected by dysentery, which has killed 3, The Himalayan Times reported on Sunday [12 Oct 2008] also leaving 40 critically ill at Lapa Village Development Committee (VDC) in Dhading district of the Central Development Region, some 50 km (31 mi) northwest of Nepali capital Kathmandu. Dysentery, which has been raging in Dhading district for over a week has affected more than 400 people at local area called Chepangcheng, Kachet, Humrang, Palange, Khading, and Thulogaun in Lapa VDC, the report quoted a local social worker Jivan Tamang as saying.[10.6.004 A]

China – Arsenic poisoning in Water (Guangxi Zhuang)
10 Oct 2008
China Daily [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that the number of villagers affected by arsenic-contaminated water in Hechi city, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has increased to 200, according to statistics released by the local government on Wednesday [8 Oct 2008] afternoon. Nineteen victims, including children and an elderly man, were in hospital under observation. According to this story, environmental monitoring measures indicated the villages' water source was polluted by industrial waste from a nearby metallurgy enterprise, which has since been closed. Authorities said torrential rain during Typhoon Hagupit on 25 Sep 2008 caused an overflow of wastewater that polluted nearby ponds and wells. They have been sealed off indefinitely.
Related stories
11 Oct 2008 – Tainted China water sickens 450
BBC News [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, about 450 people have fallen ill in southern China after drinking contaminated water, the Xinhua state news agency says. Four of the sick, in 2 villages in Guangxi province, have arsenic poisoning. Industrial waste from a metal company has been blamed.
[10.6.003 A]

New Zealand - Seasonal increase in cryptosporidiosis reported
08 Oct 2008
Radio New Zealand [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, rural communities are experiencing a seasonal increase in cryptosporidiosis, most commonly seen during spring, in people who have close contact with animals or are exposed to contaminated water. The Otago medical officer of health says there have been 22 cases there compared with 14 the same time last year.
[10.6.002 A]

South Korea finds melamine in New Zealand product
01 Oct 2008
Reuters - Jack Kim [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, South Korean authorities have found trace amounts of melamine in milk products imported from New Zealand that were used in baby formula and banned their import, its food safety agency said Thursday. The Korea Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the product, lactoferrin, was produced by Tatua Cooperative Diary Company of New Zealand. It is reported that South Korea was banning all other products made by the company pending further tests. It is also explained in this story that no trace of the chemical has been found in 19 baby formula products tested, presumably because the additive makes up less than 0.1 percent of the final product, the agency said.
[10.6.001 A]

September

South Korea – Melamine
30 Sep 2008
The Korea Times [edited] [Promed]
Melamine detected in 2 more snacks.
[09.6.013 A]

New Zealand - Dairy exports suspended in milk scandal
29 Sep 2008
NZPA -The Age [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, one of the world's biggest exporters of hugely expensive dairy protein lactoferrin has suspended exports in order to clarify how it was contaminated by melamine. It is reported that Morrinsville-based Tatua Cooperative Dairy Company Ltd said Monday it expected dairy exporters were in future likely to test for melamine contamination before releasing product for sale. Further tests were done in both in China and New Zealand, and results on September 22 and 23 confirmed contamination at less than four parts per million.
[09.6.012 A]

Taiwan - Chinese food scandal: COA launches new probe into possible fish contamination
26 Sep 2008
Taipei Times [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, the Council of Agriculture (COA) decided yesterday to investigate possible melamine contamination in the aquaculture industry, after a fake protein additive was found in a brand of locally produced fish food. It is reported that the Fisheries Agency Director General said his agency would identify all the fish farms that have used the contaminated food in the next few days and then test their fish for melamine residue.
[09.6.011 A]

Philippines - Salmonella found in 18 pupils in Manila food poisoning
25 Sep 2008
GMANews.TV [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, eighteen of 106 students hospitalized after eating at their school canteens last week tested positive for infection of Salmonella enteritidis bacteria, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Thursday. It is reported that the 106 students were stricken with gastroenteritis after eating at the canteen of an Elementary School in Tondo, Manila. They ate egg sandwiches, hotdogs, chicken sandwiches, and mais con hielo (corn kernels in shaved ice with milk and sugar). But the DOH has not yet identified which food item was contaminated with the bacteria.
[09.6.010 A]

Hong Kong SAR - Shigellosis
24 Sep 2008
E Max Health, Hong Kong Department of Health Report [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Hong Kong Department of Health urged members of the public to observe personal and food hygiene following the notification of 19 cases of laboratory-confirmed bacillary dysentery (shigellosis) so far in September 2008.Initial investigations by the CHP indicated that 18 of these cases acquired infection locally while the remaining one was an imported case. It is reported that all of them have recovered and their stool samples were positive for Shigella sonnei . Their family contacts presently do not have any symptoms. According to food histories provided, 5 of the local cases, which involved 2 males and 3 females aged from 2 to 28 who did not know each other, had taken meals from a fast food restaurant in Tsuen Wan 1 to 4 days before onset of symptoms. Further investigations are underway.
[09.6.009 A]

Japan - Japanese consumers are growing wary of food safety after Mikasa Foods
admitted it sold tons of contaminated rice .
24 Sep 2008
Business Week [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that early this month [September 2008], Mikasa Foods, a rice wholesaler in Osaka, admitted that it purchased a batch of contaminated rice from the government meant to be sold only as an inedible product for industry use. It is reported that Mikasa then sold it to hundreds of companies across Japan to boost profits and that the rice went into sake, shochu (distilled spirit), and rice crackers. It went to more than 100 hospitals, homes for the elderly, and at least 46 schools. Behind the current scare is polished white rice that has been found to contain pesticides or mold. The story goes on by explaining that the government is taking further action to reassure the public that Japan's food supply is safe. For example, it canceled tender of a 55 000-ton shipment of foreign wheat and the planned purchase of 25 000 tons of foreign rice. Moreover, according to the agriculture ministry said it would stop selling rice for industrial use and incinerate existing imports. It also said it would require rice traders to ship back any rice rejected for food use at Japanese ports.
[09.6.008 A]

Taiwan - Possible cases of a melamine-related disease
24 Sep 2008
Taiwan News Online [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, a 2-year-old girl who lived in China with her parents was diagnosed with signs of a hardening kidney yesterday [23 Sep 2008] in what might be the 1st case in Taiwan of a melamine-related disease. It is reported that the girl drank milk made from Chinese milk powder on a regular basis, the Chinese-language United Evening News said yesterday [23 Sep 2008]. In Taipei, doctors found kidney stones in 2 adults out of 25 adults and 2 children who underwent checks yesterday [23 Sep 2008] morning. The story goes on by explaining that hospitals across Taiwan are gearing up to provide free kidney-stone screening for children or for patients who thought they might have suffered from drinking the contaminated dairy products.
[09.6.007 A]

Viet Nam - Melamine found in milk products
23 Sep 2008
Nhan Dan [edited] [Promed]
The Health Ministry has sent an urgent message to centrally-governed provinces and cities to suspend the circulation of milk products and materials of unidentified origins. The ministry also directed local health departments to work with related agencies to inspect the sources of supply of all milk products and materials in the market, especially those imported from China. Qualitative samples taken from Vietnamese and imported milk products and materials must be tested for melamine, with test results being reported to the Health Ministry immediately. Provinces and cities were asked to submit preliminary reports to the Health Ministry prior to [25 Sep 2008].
On [22 Sep 2008], Ho Chi Minh City's Health Department Inspector sealed up 18 000 liters of Yili Pure Milk produced by the Chinese Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group at the warehouse of an importing company. Noticeably, this is one of 22 Chinese companies whose product samples were found to be melamine-contaminated. Samples of 18 000 liters of Yili Pure Milk were taken for testing for melamine, a chemical substance which causes kidney-related diseases in many Chinese children.
Related stories
24 Sep 2008- Melamine found in milk products
Thanh Nien News [edited] [Promed]
[09.6.006 A]

Hong Kong SAR - Cholera
20 Sep 2008
Health & Community News, Hong Kong government [edited] [Promed]
It is reported that the Centre for Health Protection today [20 Sep 2008] confirmed a case of cholera involving a 25-year-old man. He developed gastroenteritis on 13 Sep 2008 and attended Tuen Mun Hospital on 17 Sep 2008.Tests came back positive for Vibrio cholerae biotype Ogawa. He did not have a recent travel history, and his home contacts had no cholera symptoms. This is the 2nd cholera case reported in 2008
[09.6.005 A]

Japan -Two fall sick after eating Chinese bean paste
20 Sep 2008
AFP [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, two employees of a Japanese confectionery company fell sick after eating China-made bean paste in the latest apparent food scare here, police and the firm said Saturday. The workers in central Nagano prefecture noticed a strange smell like petroleum oil when they opened the five-kilogram (11-pound) package of red-bean paste on Friday, police said. They tasted it to check on the quality and felt sick soon afterwards, police said. It is reported that the employees, a man and a woman in their 30s, complained of numbness in their limbs and were taken to hospital. "Police suspect the food was laced with poison," local police spokesman said.
Related stories
20 Sep 2008 – New food scare
Asia One
[09.6.004 A]

China – Arsenic poisons scenic China lake
19 Sep 2008
Alertnet, Reuters [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, arsenic has poisoned a lake in southwest China that was famous for its hot springs, affecting the drinking water of at least 26 000 people, state media said on Friday [19 Sep 2008]. Trucks were carrying 80 tonnes of water each day to affected areas near Yangzonghai lake, in Yunnan province.
[09.6.003 A]

Philippines - Cholera (Pangasinan)
11 Sep 2008
ABS-CBN News [edited][Promed]
According to this story, Pangasinan province is now being threatened by a possible outbreak of cholera disease. It is reported that provincial health office records show that cholera victims have increased to 57, with one death in Bayambang town. Bayambang town has the largest number of cholera cases, followed by Aquilar and Bolinao. Unofficial records show that there are already 6000 cases of acute gastroenteritis or AGE in the province
[09.6.002 A]

Macao - 141 people food-poisoned after eating tainted oyster in MACAO
08 Sep 2008
Xinhua News Agency [edited][iFSN]
A total of 141 people in Macao were food-poisoned after eating polluted raw oysters in local restaurants, the Special Administration Region's health authorities announced on Monday. The food-poisoning outbreak was firstly reported on Aug. 28 when a number of people fell sick after eating raw oysters served in a buffet restaurant, and more cases were later reported in other restaurants, according to the SAR's Disease Control and Prevention Center of the Macao Health Bureau ( SSM). The SSM said in its latest press release that eight new cases were reported on Monday, the victims of which dined in the incriminated restaurants and ate raw oysters, but it also confirmed that those victims have fully recovered from the illness. The problem oysters came from the same supplier in Hong Kong, according to the SSM, which has ordered the four eateries to stop providing raw oysters at their buffets.
Related stories
09 Sep 2008 – HONG KONG tracing oysters after food poisoning hits Macau
AFP [edited][iFSN]
Hong Kong said Tuesday it was hunting hundreds of boxes of tainted raw oysters after a food poisoning outbreak sickened at least 150 diners in the gambling haven of Macau. Foreign tourists were among those hit by the outbreak caused by the Norwalk virus, which is passed on through food, vomit and excreta among human beings, officials said. Some 1,560 boxes of oysters could be involved, including 420 boxes exported to Macau, 43 to Hong Kong and about 300 to other places, Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) said, with another 500 boxes sealed for tests.
13 Sep 2008 – Food poisoning oysters ‘not from New Zealand’
Macau Daily Times [edited] [iFSN]
Oysters that caused a food poisoning outbreak did not come from New Zealand as originally claimed, local Chinese media reported yesterday. By 6pm on Thursday, health authorities said total of 193 people had reportedly fallen ill. All have now recovered from the illness. According to this story, Macau and Hong Hong authorities carried out an investigation which found the food poisoning outbreak had been caused by the Norwalk virus contained in these oysters. It is reported that health certificates show the oysters had actually come from Weihai in the mainland and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China also confirmed that they were frozen oysters that cannot be eaten uncooked. However, the Administration also pointed out that since discrepancies exist between the oysters imported to Macau and the content of the health certificates, it is possible that the oysters may not come from mainland either.
[09.6.001 A]

August

Viet Nam - Cholera, diarrhea
25 Aug 2008
VietNamNet Bridge [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, over the past month, 390 more cases of acute diarrhea disease have been reported nationwide, 73 of them tested positive for the cholera bacterium, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Since early this year [2008], over 4500 cases have contracted acute diarrhea, 722 of them tested positive for cholera
[08.6.011 A]

China - Rimmer progresses despite illness
20 Aug 2008
The Press Association [edited] [iFSN]
Britain's Michael Rimmer overcame a bout of food poisoning to book his place in the semi-finals of the 800 metres at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
[08.6.010 A]

China - Food cited in illnesses that hit track team
16 Aug 2008
New York Times - Gina Kolata and Jason Stallman [edited][iFSN]
The coacher of the runners Shalane Flanagan, Shannon Rowbury and Erin Donohue, was cited as saying several members of the United States track team became ill at the team’s pre-Olympic training center in Dalian, about 300 miles east of Beijing, and food poisoning was the likely cause.
[08.6.009 A]

Malaysia - 43 pupils fall ill after eating chicken nuggets
10 Aug 2008
The Star [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, a total of 43 pupils from SK Taman Daya 2 suffered food poisoning after they were believed to have eaten chicken nuggets at the school canteen. The pupils suffered abdominal pains and started vomiting yesterday after consuming the food. The State Women, Family, Community Development and Health committee chairman was quoted as saying, “We suspect the food poisoning was caused by eating the nuggets but we will investigate further.”
[08.6.008 A]

China - Tummy-troubled Koreans show guts for glory
09 Aug 2008
Reuters - Peter Rutherford [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, Park Kyung-mo finished in fourth place in the men's Olympic archery ranking round, ahead of countrymen Im Dong-hyun (eighth) and Lee Chang-hwan (10th). It is reported that he lamented that "Today my condition was not good because I have a problem with the food. I have had diarrhea. So have all the Korean archers."
[08.6.007 A]

New Zealand – Hep A howlers
07 Aug 2008
Scene.co.nz - Frank Marvin [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, queenstown doctors left a hepatitis-A carrier on the loose for 10 days without alerting public health authorities. No doctors are named but the indictment forms part of the public record of Queenstown’s hepatitis-A scare in May. The 21-year-old Korean waitress is thought to have already been infected with the contagious disease when she came back to Queenstown on April 7 after a trip home. As the public dossier puts it, she carried platters from the kitchen to the buffet, placed fruit on bowls, set out bread, croissants, buns and danishes – and laid tables with cutlery and glasses. After feeling unwell, says Public Health South (PHS), the waitress visited a GP not once, but three times between May 6-12 – yet her hepatitis-A went undetected.
[08.6.006 A]

New Zealand- Spoilage of food linked to storms in Waikato
06 Aug 2008
Waikato Times - Sophie Donovan [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, food spoiled in power cuts linked to the recent spate of stormy weather could cause health problems for Waikato people. There have been reported cases of household appliances breaking down, food spoiling and water being contaminated during power cuts, prompting the New Zealand Food Safety Authority to issue a warning about food-borne illnesses. The health protection officer for the Waikato District Health Board, said power cuts to fridges could cause food to go off, posing a risk of food poisoning. "
[08.6.005 A]

Philippines - Cholera (Sultan Kudarat)
5 Aug 2008
ABS-CBN News [edited] [Promed]
It is reported here that a total of 18 people have died as a result of a cholera outbreak in 2 tribal communities in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. The victims were residents of the hamlets of Sagpaw and Biao in Barangay Milbuk, which are Manobo communities. The first victims of the cholera outbreak were initially reported by the villagers last week [28 Jul-3 Aug 2008] when several people started complaining of diarrhea.
[08.6.004 A]

Viet Nam - Cholera (Thanh Hoa)
5 Aug 2008
Nhan Dan (The People) [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, an acute diarrheal disease has recurred in Thanh Hoa province. The first patient who tested positive to the cholera bacterium in the province lives in the Truong Son ward, Thanh Hoa city. Earlier, the patient was on board a ship to go out to sea with 5 fishermen who later suffered from acute diarrhea. After that 12 more people were reported sick with the disease, 6 of whom tested positive for cholera. In late July 2008, some patients with acute diarrhea were reported in Hai Ha, Truong Lam, Hai Thuong, and Nghi Son communes of Tinh Gia district, thus bringing the total of patients in the province to 19, 13 of whom tested positive for cholera.
[08.6.003 A]

Viet Nam – Cholera (North)
5 Aug 2008
Viet Nam News (VNS) [edited] [Promed]
Acute diarrhea has recurred in northern cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Hai Duong, said the Ministry of Health on Sun 3 Aug 2008. It is reported that in Nam Dinh, 287 people have been hospitalized so far this year [2008], and that 124 have tested positive for cholera. Patients contracted the disease in Hanoi after eating uncooked food and raw vegetables.
[08.6.002 A]

Nepal - Diarrhea, fatal (Mid-Western)
4 Aug 2008
China View, Xinhua News Agency report [edited] [Promed]
As many as 9 children died and dozens of others fell sick due to an outbreak of diarrhea that spread at Syada village in Humala district in mid-western Nepal recently, The Kathmandu Post reported on Monday [4 Aug 2008]. According to the daily, the outbreak has not yet been controlled due to unavailability of medicine in the village. "Nearly 100 minors [children] are now suffering from diarrhea in Syada, Sata, and Yangu VDCs (village development committees)," the VDC secretary claimed. A doctor at the District Hospital, however, said he had no knowledge of the outbreak.
[08.6.001 A]

July

New Zealand - Bad oyster mystery continues
30 Jul 2008
Papakura Courier - John Harold [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, the search continues for the source of the water contamination that caused 73 people to fall ill after eating Clevedon oysters. The Auckland Regional Public Health Service medical officer of health says they came down with norovirus which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. The Clevedon Coast Oysters managing director says the contaminated shellfish came from a farm near the mouth of Clevedon’s Wairoa River. Harvesting stopped as soon as the problem surfaced and will not resume until the contamination source is identified. Moreover, a product recall started last week.
[07.6.006 A]

Viet Nam - Cholera
29 Jul 2008
VietNamNet Bridge [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, the Health Ministry on 28 Jul 2008 reported to the government that there were 441 acute diarrhea patients in 18 provinces and cities in July, including 67 [documented] cholera patients, but no deaths. On the same day, the Director of the Health Department of the northern province of Hai Duong, announced that an acute diarrhea epidemic had broken out in Tan Viet commune, Thanh Ha district, Hai Duong, with three people positive for Vibrio cholerae . It is reported that these people ate food that contained the bacterium at a funeral in Tan Viet commune and that well water taken from the home of one patient is also positive for Vibrio cholerae .
[07.6.005 A]

Hong Kong - Girl ill with E. coli infection
23 Jul 2008
news.gov.hk [edited] [iFSN]
The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed this year's second E. coli O157:H7 infection involving a 10-month-old Kowloon City girl. The girl developed fever, vomiting and diarrhoea on July 16 and was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Her condition is stable. She had no travel history during the incubation period. Her parents had no symptoms, while her brother and grandmother developed diarrhoea earlier and had recovered. Hong Kong recorded one E. coli O157:H7 infection last year and one in 2006.
[07.6.004 A]

Philippines - Cholera-infected meat found in AC slaughterhouse
20 Jul 2008
Sun Star Pampanga - Alejandro Tampus [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, meat inspectors on duty at the Angeles City slaughterhouse discovered 110 kilos of hog meat infected of hog cholera with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) last July 14. The hog infection was found out during the ante-mortem inspection and it was later found out that the hog meat had "severe labored breathing recumbent, purplish and reddish discoloration on the rump, underbelly and ears." The officer-in-charge of slaughterhouse in the city, said the hog meat was intended to be sold in the city's public market. He said the meat "can cause illnesses" to people who could have bought and consumed it. For the past three months, meat inspectors have condemned nearly 900 kilos of hog meat and carcasses not fit for human consumption.
[07.6.003 A]]

Australia - Illness and injury claim more pilgrims
18 Jul 2008
Herald Sun [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, sickness and injury continue to scourge pilgrims visiting Sydney for World Youth Day (WYD). In particular, a lot of pilgrims have fallen ill with influenza and gastroenteritis. A further 23 pilgrims staying at St Therese's Primary School at Denistone, in Sydney's north, were suffering viral gastroenteritis.
[07.6.002 A]

Australia - Contaminated food blamed for outbreak at nursing home
14 Jul 2008
NSW Government - Department of Health - James Ferre [edited] [iFSN]
A public health investigation is underway at a Blue Mountains nursing home following a recent outbreak of gastroenteritis in residents of Endeavour Nursing Home in Springwood. Dr Jeremy McAnulty, Acting Deputy Chief Health Officer, said Sydney West public health officials are investigating two outbreaks which occurred in mid and late June, affecting 25 and 58 residents respectively.
“Affected residents experienced mild symptoms, consisting of one to two days diarrhoea,” Dr McAnulty advised. “While most cases occurred in the nursing home section, some also occurred among residents who self-care in a different area. During the outbreak period, 10 residents died from a variety of apparently unrelated conditions. Some of these residents had experienced mild diarrhoea.” Dr McAnulty said test results from a number of ill residents have identified a toxin from the bacterium Clostridium perfringens. Dr McAnulty said the peak of the last outbreak was 14 days ago, and the risk of further illness is believed to be low. “However all precautions are being taken, including an epidemiological investigation and re-inspection of all food handling procedures, to protect other residents,” Dr McAnulty said. NSW Food Authority officers have inspected the facility and found no obvious problem. All food handling protocols and practices were found to be of a high standard. Food samples collected from the facility were found not to contain any harmful bacteria. An expert panel has been convened to provide input to the outbreak investigation, and is helping to guide action. As a precaution, the nursing home has implemented additional control measures during food preparation and an officer was on-site on Friday to monitor staff and food handling procedures.
[07.6.001 A]

June

Viet Nam - Cholera, diarrhea (North)
27 Jun 2008
VietNamNet [edited] [Promed]
Three northern provinces of Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong have received many cases of acute diarrhea in June 2008, reported the Preventive Health Department on Tuesday [24 Jun 2008]. Among them, several cases of the cholera bacterium were found, 30 of which were discovered in Bac Ninh Province. According to Bac Ninh Province's health department, 49 patients were admitted in hospitals suffering from acute diarrhea including 27 cases inflicted with cholera. Most of the patients were residents of Chan Lac Village, whose lake tested positive for the bacterium. The department disinfected the lake and has warned the locals not to use the water there.
[06.6.006 A]

Malaysia - Two Malaysians die after eating puffer fish
21 June 2008
Monsters and Critics.com [edited] [iFSN]
Malaysia's health department in the southern state of Johor has issued a warning against consuming puffer fish after two Malaysian women died from eating the poisonous fish, a news report said Saturday.
[06.6.005 A]

Hong Kong - Four more sick in sushi poisoning scare
19 June 2008
The Standard - Patsy Moy [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, four more diners have fallen sick from food poisoning after eating at a popular Japanese restaurant chain, taking the toll to 22. According to the Department of Health, the people developed common food-poisoning symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness after eating a variety of sushi and sashimi. However, none of them needed a hospital stay. The Department of Health's test laboratory found the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a patient's stool sample.
[06.6.004 A]


China - Quality watchdog finds pathogenic bacteria in imported salmon
14 June 2008
China View [edited] [iFSN]
The China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) was cited as saying on its website Friday it had detected pathogenic bacteria in two shipments of frozen Atlantic salmon imported in March. The salmon, weighted more than 1.8 tonnes, was imported from Norway. The salmon was found to contain Vibrio parahemolyticus , a bacterium that could lead to vomiting, stomach ache, dehydration and blood pressure decrease. All the contaminated salmon had been destroyed. It is reported that another 427 shipments of defective goods were also exposed on the GAQSIQ "black list,".
[06.6.003 A]

Australia - Salmonella outbreak hits nursing home
12 June 2008
The Independent Weekly [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, a gastroenteritis outbreak linked to the Salmonella bacteria has hit an Adelaide Hills nursing home with 20 people struck down by the bug so far. The South Australian Health Department said two people had been treated in hospital and another four had tested positive for Salmonella poisoning.
Related stories
16 June 2008 - Hahndorf nursing home resident dies of Salmonella poisoning
AdelaideNow - Colin James [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, the family of a critically ill nursing home resident has demanded an explanation of how he was infected in a deadly Salmonella outbreak. The Health Department is investigating how another male resident, 77, died at the RAH last Tuesday while a 71-year-old woman receiving palliative care died at the nursing home on Friday. A spokeswoman last night said preliminary investigations indicated contaminated food may have entered the nursing home, with test results expected early this week.
16 June 2008 – More Salmonella cases at SA aged home
The Sydney Morning Herald/AAP [edited] [iFSN]
Two more people are sick at an Adelaide Hills nursing home, following the death of two elderly residents from Salmonella poisoning. South Australian health officials were cited as saying they would visit the Hahndorf Residential Care Services again on Monday after two more residents were reported to be showing symptoms of gastroenteritis. The two women, aged 78 and 81, were likely to have contracted the bug from person to person infection, said the South Australia's chief medical officer.
[06.6.002 A]

Australia - Rudd's party pie causes vomit fit
04 June 2008
The Sydney Morning Herald/AAP [edited] [iFSN]
The Australian Prime Minister was cited as saying a party pie or something else savoury - not a dagwood dog - may have been responsible for a vomiting bug that felled him last month.
[06.6.001 A]

May

Australia - Hepatitis linked to Melbourne café
30 May 2008
The Age/ABC News/ [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, five people have been struck down with Hepatitis A in an outbreak traced to a cafe in Melbourne's city centre. The Victoria's acting chief health officer was cited as saying those affected fell sick between May 16 and May 22. The officer said an extensive clean up of the cafe had been carried out under the supervision of Melbourne City Council and that the council visited the cafe again this week to ensure food safety and hygiene measures were being observed.
[05.6.008 A]

Australia - Faulty tongs identified as meat contamination source
28 May 2008
The Advertiser - Nick Henderson [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, the cause of a meat contamination scare has been discovered by authorities following an investigation across four states. Rather than any criminal involvement, as first suspected, authorities have blamed faulty kitchen tongs for pieces of metal being found in meat bought in supermarkets in SA, Queensland, WA and NSW. The Consumer Affairs Minister was cited as saying the faulty tongs contained a strip of metal to tension the tongs instead of older-style spring mechanisms.
[05.6.007 A]

Hong Kong - Boy treated for E. coli infection
26 May 2008
Health and Community [edited] [iFSN]
The Centre for Health Protection was cited as confirming this year's first E. coli O157:H7 infection involving an 18-month-old Kowloon City boy. The boy came down with fever and vomiting on May 5. He was admitted to Hospital on May 12 and was discharged two days later. He had no travel history during the incubation period and none of his family members at home had symptoms.
[05.6.006 A]

New Zealand - 70 Vaccinated for Hepatitis A
19 May 2008
Otago Daily Times - Elspeth McLean [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, Hepatitis A vaccinations have been given to about 70 people who were in close contact with a Korean waitress who had the disease while working in Queenstown. A Public Health South medical officer of health said yesterday efforts were continuing to contact about 3000 people who were guests at the Hotel at the time when the waitress was at her most infectious.
[05.6.005 A]

South Korea - Seoul hounds 'meat vendors' for cleaner chow; dog stew is a delicacy, but causes Salmonella
12 May 2008
Wall Street Journal - Evan Ramstad [edited]
As the hot summer rolls around, many South Koreans will, according to this story, dine on a local dish that's often named "sweet meat" or "healthy soup." The dish is dog but it is reported here that dog meat has recently been linked to a spate of Salmonella and staph infections, drawing the attention of authorities.
[05.6.004 A]

Philippines - Fish downs 32 workers
04 May 2008
Cebu Daily News [edited]
According to this story, a skipjack tuna commonly known as tulingan downed on Friday night at least 32 workers of a General Contractor company. The 32 workers were rushed to hospitals after they experienced difficulty in breathing, itchiness, headaches and dizziness after eating the tulingan.
[05.6.003 A]

Vietnam - Severe acute watery diarrhoea with cases positive for Vibrio cholerae
02 May 2008
Weekly Epidemiological Record - World Health Organization
2 May 2008, vol. 83, 18 (pp 157–168)
Between 5 March and 22 April 2008, the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam reported 2490 cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea, including 377 cases positive for Vibrio cholerae , the bacterium that causes cholera. The serotype has been identified as 01 Ogawa. No deaths have been reported, indicating good case management. A total of 20 Vietnamese provinces and municipalities have been affected to date, the majority of those infected by the disease being Hanoi residents. The predominant route of infection appears to be the consumption of contaminated food. Cholera bacteria have not been detected in drinking water in Hanoi or in other affected areas but have been found in some surface waters. Additional epidemiological, environmental and food traceback investigations are under way.
The Ministry of Health has been increasing health education measures and has launched a mass media campaign aimed at strengthening food safety and personal hygiene knowledge and practices. Environmental disinfection is being conducted in the homes of cholera patients, and a programme of intensified hygiene inspection of commercial food vendors is being carried out. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical advice on aspects of the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of the outbreak. In addition, WHO and other United Nations agencies are exploring other routes of assistance. In controlling the spread of cholera, WHO does not recommend any special restrictions to travel or trade to or from affected areas. Visitors to Viet Nam are encouraged to respect basic precautions when consuming water and food. Further information is contained in the following WHO health information products: Fact Sheet - Frequently Asked Questions for travellers ).
(same as [04.6.003 A])

Hong Kong - 124 ill in food poisoning
02 May 2008
Health and Community [edited]
According to this story, the Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected food poisoning involving 124 people who came down with gastroenteritis symptoms after having snack food at a school fair on April 26. The affected include 53 males and 71 females aged between one and 56. Fifty-five of them sought medical treatment from outpatient clinics, 20 attended Accident & Emergency Departments.
[05.6.002 A]

Philippines - Diarrhea downs 34 inmates in Iloilo
01 May 2008
GMA News [edited] At least 34 inmates at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) suffered from diarrhea after taking their breakfast last Tuesday, a report said. Jail authorities are looking into the possibility that contaminated water might have caused the disease.
[05.6.001 A]

April

China - Bottled water blamed for hepatitis outbreak
24 Apr 2008
China.org.cn -Shanghai Daily [edited]
National and local health authorities were cited as confirming that tainted bottled water was the source of a recent outbreak of Hepatitis A in Guiyang City that infected at least 330 people. The water was taken off store shelves after the outbreak. The contagious disease, which hit the capital of southwestern Guizhou Province late last month, has "basically been brought under control," according to the Chief of the Health Bureau in Guiyang. Health officials yesterday lifted the emergency health state after the epidemic was contained, the report said. According to this story, no human-to-human infections were reported. As of April 22, 330 people had contracted Hepatitis A while 21 suspected cases had yet to be confirmed, the report said.
[04.6.013 A]

Malaysia - Cholera - (Labuan)
23 Apr 2008
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) [edited]
After being confirmed of having cholera, 6 people were admitted to the general hospital [in Labuan]. The 6, who are all Filipinos aged between one and 21, were the latest victims detected on the island in 2008. All of them were reported to be in stable condition. Of the victims 4 were from Pulau Daat, while the other 2 were from Kg Muslim.
[04.6.012 A]

Philippines - Over 20 ill after eating roasted pig in Cebu town
23 Apr 2008
Inquirer.net - Jhunnex Napallacan [edited]
Over 20 persons, including a family of a village chairman, from a Cebu town, experienced abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating lechon (roasted pig).
[04.6.011 A]

New Zealand - Water caused disease
22 Apr 2008
NZPA [edited]
A contaminated water supply appears to be the cause of a cluster of Campylobacter cases in Springston township near Christchurch during February and March, the Canterbury District Health Board says. According to this story, while investigating the four Campylobacter notifications from Springston, 26km southwest of Christchurch, a health board team found a further 38 cases of gastrointestinal illness, and two further cases in visitors to Springston. Peaks in illness in the community coincided with periods when the town's water had not met New Zealand drinking water standards.
[04.6.010 A]

Japan - 60 music school students suffer food poisoning at dormitory
22 Apr 2008
Mainichi Daily News [edited]
Government officials were cited as saying 60 students aged 16 to 21 at a music school suffered food poisoning after eating meals at their dormitory in Saitama Prefecture, The prefectural government suspects that they were infected with a norovirus after eating breakfast and dinner at the dormitory cafeteria on April 15 and 16. A local health center conducted checkups on students and cafeteria workers and detected a norovirus in eight of the students and three of the cafeteria workers.
[04.6.009 A]

Australia- Paperclips in muffins trigger scare for Beijing athletes
14 Apr 2008
The Courier Mail - Alex Dickinson [edited]
According to this story, at least five Beijing-bound Olympians were exposed to metal-laced muffins in the second major food contamination scare this month. Police confirmed paperclips were found in up to 15 chocolate muffins served last Thursday at a Queensland University of Technology function for 90 elite athletes. The scare came two days after police stepped up a nationwide investigation into contaminated meat and frozen products after a fifth piece of metal was found in supermarket sausages in South Australia. But police ruled out any links with the latest incident, which has led to three employees being stood down from the Merlo Kitchen Catering Company.
[04.6.008 A]

Japan - Cholera - (Saitama)
12 Apr 2008
Mainichi Daily News [edited]
According to this story, prefectural government officials said 10 people have been diagnosed with food poisoning caused by a cholera outbreak after dining at a restaurant in Saitama Prefecture. This is the 1st time that a cholera case has been confirmed in Japan since an outbreak in Aomori Prefecture in 2002, according to officials.Those affected complained that they suffered diarrhea and nausea after eating sashimi and other food at a Japanese-style restaurant in Kisai, Saitama Prefecture. 8 of them received treatment and 3 were hospitalized. None are in a serious condition.
[04.6.007 A]

China - Cholera - (Hong Kong SAR) ex Philippines
7 Apr 2008
Hong Kong Information Services Department [edited]
The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed 2008's 1st cholera case involving a 26-year-old Wong Tai Sin [district] woman who fell ill during her visit to the Philippines. She travelled to the country from 29 Mar 2008 to 2 Apr 2008 and developed diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, and vomiting on 31 Mar 2008. She is now stable at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She tested positive for Vibrio cholerae biotype Ogawa. There were 3 cholera cases in 2007, 1 in 2006, 5 in 2005, 5 in 2004, and 7 in 2003.
[04.6.006 A]

Australia - Saboteur putting metal in meat
06 Apr 2008
The Courier Mail/ABC News Online [edited]
According to this story, deliberate contamination of uncooked meat and frozen products has forced removal of the food from supermarkets and sparked an Australia-wide police hunt for the culprit. Police say metal objects up to six centimetres long were found in uncooked, pre-packaged meat and frozen products. The stories say that a distinct metal object, which authorities will not identify, has been found in four products bought from stores in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia. The Queensland police-led investigation was launched after Coles reported two incidents last month where consumers found metal in their food bought from their Tweed Heads store on March 18 and a Brisbane Bi-Lo store at Alderley. It is reported that the police has not received any threats or demands in relation to the contamination.
Related stories
06 Apr 2008 - The Australian
07 Apr 2008 - ABC News Online (Australia)
[04.6.005 A]

New Zealand - Woman killed in Salmonella outbreak
05 Apr 2008
Stuff (New Zealand) [edited]
According to this story, since January, 28 people have contracted the bacteria strain, which has caused outbreaks overseas. The South Island is hardest hit with 21 cases, including a 74-year-old lady of Wakefield, near Nelson. She died in Nelson Hospital last month after being infected with the Salmonella mbandaka stain. She was one of 10 infected in the Nelson-Marlborough district. Another six cases occurred in Otago-Southland, three in Canterbury and one each in South Canterbury and the West Coast. Wellington has had three cases this year.The source of the outbreak has yet to be identified but the Ministry of Health is investigating, along with public health staff in Nelson-Marlborough and Canterbury. None of the victims reported travelling overseas in the three days before they got sick. One person had direct contact with another confirmed case. It is reported that a Nelson-Marlborough medical officer of health said no common source of illness had been found. It was hard to pinpoint one because of the length of time between people becoming ill and diagnosis. The ministry's public health director said no food premises have been implicated and all food samples tested negative. Mbandaka was one of the dominant strains of Salmonella being reported nationally during February.
Related stories
04 Apr 2008 - New Zealand - Salmonella mbandaka outbreak
Scoop - Ministry of Health Press Release
10 Apr 2008- NewZealand The Press - Two more ill with rare Salmonella strain
13 Apr 2008 - The Southland Times - Amy Milne
[04.6.004 A]

Vietnam - Acute diarrhea sweeps Ha Noi
04 Apr 2008
Viet Nam News [edited]
The National Contagious and Tropical Disease Institute director reported a jump in the number of patients with acute diarrhoea since March 7. Ninety people had been admitted to hospital and several had tested positive to the disease since then, he said. The institute put the number of suspected infections at 70. The Health Ministry’s Preventive Medicine and Environment Department reported that 60 people have had stricken with acute diarrhoea in the capital since early March. These included 29 patients who tested positive to the Vibrio cholera bacteria.
Acute diarrhoea cases were also was reported in Ha Tay, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho, Bac Giang and Nam Dinh Provinces.
Related stories
1 Apr 2008 - VietNamNet Bridge , VNE report
3 Apr 2008 - VietNamNetBridge , VNE report
8 Apr 2008 - ChinaView , Xinhua News Agency report [edited]
According to this story, Viet Nam has detected nearly 500 acute diarrhea cases in 12 northern cities and provinces since early March 2008, of whom over 100 have been diagnosed with cholera. On Tuesday [8 Apr 2008],a local newspaper quoted the Vietnamese Ministry of Health as reporting that the patients have come from Hanoi capital, Hai Phong city and the 10 provinces of Ha Tay, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong, and Ninh Binh. Up to 78 percent of cholera patients ate unsafe foodstuffs such as blood budding, raw vegetables and raw shrimp paste, the ministry said, noting that the high risk of cholera infection in Viet Nam is also due to local people's habit of not washing their hands before eating and after going to the toilet. Only 12 percent of Vietnamese citizens have the habit of washing hands with soaps
9 Apr 2008 - ChinaView , Xinhua News Agency report
15 Apr 2008 - Cholera, diarrhea - (north and south)
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
According to this story, Viet Nam, battling a cholera outbreak that has infected over 130 people, this week launches a month long public hygiene drive while cracking down on dirty food stalls and dredging sewage-choked lakes. It is reported that public health officials say they suspect cholera has spread rapidly along Viet Nam's north-south railway line, where many train carriages have inadequate waste removal services and the toilets can be forbidding places. City workers have already dumped over one tonne of chlorine into central Hanoi's Linh Quang Lake and closed some restaurants and street stalls along its shore after 6 people living nearby tested positive for cholera.
16 Apr 2008 - Cholera, diarrhea in Ha Tay [edited]
VietNamNet
According to this story, acute diarrhea is booming in Thach That district in Hanoi's neighboring province of Ha Tay with 127 patients recorded, including 30 positive for Vibrio cholerae . The Health Minister on 15 Apr 2008 made a field trip to this location. According to local health experts, the disease is rampant in Huu Bang commune, Thach That district because on 11-12 Apr 2008 there was a festival in the district and some families ate dog meat with raw vegetables and shrimp paste. From 7 Mar 2008 to 15 Apr 2008, Ha Tay province had 385 diarrhea patients, including 79 positive for Vibrio cholerae .
17 Apr 2008 - Food inspectors mobilise to improve food hygiene, safety
Viet Nam News [edited]
According to this story, five newly-established inspector groups yesterday started monitoring food hygiene in the city and surrounding areas where acute diarrhoea has been reported recently. The inspectors, set up by the Health Ministry on Tuesday, are equipped with mobile tools to test food, cooking utensils and food holders at all places where food is consumed or produced. The inspector groups, including high-ranking officials from the Health Ministry, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, National Hospital for Contagious and Tropical Diseases, and the National Nutrition Institute, have been given the power to fine and even temporarily close premises that do not meet food hygiene and safety requirements. A list of places that have been punished for breaking hygiene regulations will be published in the mass media.
18 Apr 2008 - Viet Nam (north)- [edited]
XinHuaNet
According to this story, many as 70 new acute diarrhea patients from 10 Vietnamese cities and provinces were hospitalized on Thursday [17 Apr 2008], of whom 3 tested for cholera, a local newspaper on Friday [18 Apr 2008] quoted the Vietnamese Health Ministry as reporting. The new cases have raised the total number of acute diarrhea patients in the country's 19 cities and provinces to over 1800, including 326 cholera sufferers, since 5 Mar 2008. Most of acute diarrhea sufferers were from Hanoi, Hai Phong city and the 2 provinces of Ha Tay and Thanh Hoa in the northern region. Viet Nam has experienced 3 acute diarrhea outbreaks which affected about 4000 people, of whom some 700 have been positive for cholera since last October 2007.
22 Apr 2008 - Viet Nam: severe acute watery diarrhea with _ V. cholerae _ positive cases
World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news [edited]
Between 5 March 2008 and 22 April 2008 the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam reported 2490 cases of severe acute watery diarrhea including 377 that were positive for Vibrio cholerae , the bacterium causing cholera. The serotype has been identified as 01 Ogawa. No deaths have been reported.Until now, 20 provinces and municipalities have been affected. The majority of people infected by the disease are Hanoi residents. The predominant route of infection appears to be consumption of contaminated food. Cholera bacteria have not been detected in drinking water in Hanoi or in other affected areas but have been found in some surface waters. Additional epidemiological, environmental and food trace-back investigations are under way. The Ministry of Health has been increasing health education and launched a mass media campaign aimed at strengthening food safety and personal hygiene knowledge and practices. Environmental disinfection is conducted in the homes of cholera patients and a program of intensified hygiene inspection of commercial food vendors is being carried out.WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical advice on aspects of the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of the outbreak. In addition, WHO and other UN agencies are exploring other possibilities of assistance.
02 May 2008- Severe acute watery diarrhoea with cases positive for Vibrio cholerae
Weekly Epidemiological Record - World Health Organization
2 May 2008, vol. 83, 18 (pp 157–168)
Between 5 March and 22 April 2008, the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam reported 2490 cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea, including 377 cases positive for Vibrio cholerae , the bacterium that causes cholera. The serotype has been identified as 01 Ogawa. No deaths have been reported, indicating good case management. A total of 20 Vietnamese provinces and municipalities have been affected to date, the majority of those infected by the disease being Hanoi residents. The predominant route of infection appears to be the consumption of contaminated food. Cholera bacteria have not been detected in drinking water in Hanoi or in other affected areas but have been found in some surface waters. Additional epidemiological, environmental and food traceback investigations are under way.
The Ministry of Health has been increasing health education measures and has launched a mass media campaign aimed at strengthening food safety and personal hygiene knowledge and practices. Environmental disinfection is being conducted in the homes of cholera patients, and a programme of intensified hygiene inspection of commercial food vendors is being carried out. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical advice on aspects of the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of the outbreak. In addition, WHO and other United Nations agencies are exploring other routes of assistance. In controlling the spread of cholera, WHO does not recommend any special restrictions to travel or trade to or from affected areas. Visitors to Viet Nam are encouraged to respect basic precautions when consuming water and food. Further information is contained in the following WHO health information products: Fact Sheet - Frequently Asked Questions for travellers ).
[04.6.003 A]

Australia - Severe gastro cases in South Australia
02 Apr 2008
ABC News Online (Australia) [edited]
Doctors are keeping watch for cases of a highly-infectious form of gastroenteritis in South Australia. The Director of the infectious diseases control branch says cases of the illness, known as Shigella, have been reported across Adelaide.
[04.6.002 A]

Taiwan - CDC announces year's first fatal hepatitis A case
01 Apr 2008
Taipei Times - CNA [edited]
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday announced this year's first fatal case of hepatitis A. The victim was a 30-year-old man who died four days after he was hospitalized. So far this year, 82 new cases of hepatitis A have been reported, 47 affecting people under the age of 30.
[04.6.001 A]

March

China- Guangdong food safety watchdog warns against tainted dairy products
29 Mar 2008
Xinhua News Agency (China) [edited]
The food safety watchdog in southern Guangdong Province warned against tainted dairy products manufactured by a Zhuhai dairy company after more than 100 children were reported vomiting after drinking the milk, a Guangzhou-based newspaper reported on Saturday. The provincial food safety agency had sealed up 4,167 boxes of the milk suspected of contamination while the manufacturer recalled another 2,706 boxes of such product. The government warned consumers in five cities, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Foshan, Zhongshan and Guangzhou, against the risk of drinking 150-ml high-calcium milk, which was packed on March 26, the newspaper said.It is reported that some 75 children in a few day-cares in both Zhuhai and Jiangmen were reported sick after drinking the products on Wednesday. The young patients were properly treated and went home from hospital on Friday.
Related sources
02 Apr 2008 - Bacteria infection cited as cause for massive dairy products poisoning
People's Daily Online (China)
[03.6.012 A]

Papua New Guinea - Dysentery - (Morobe)
27 Mar 2008
Radio New Zealand International [edited]
5 people have died of dysentery in a remote area of Morobe Province, in Papua New Guinea. Health officials had initially thought the 5, in a village near Bulolo and Wau, had had typhoid, but investigations revealed it was dysentery. A local newspaper reports the Provincial health adviser saying that medical teams were in February 2008 sent into the area to verify the disease and determine the causes. He says the outbreak was caused by the village water supply being contaminated with human and animal waste.
[03.6.011 A]

Australia - Finding the sauce of fatal fish dinner – New South Wales
27 Mar 2008
Sydney Morning Herald - Les Kennedy [edited]
According to this story, a 81-year-old retiree died just 12 hours after dining with his wife at a upmarket in Pymble on Friday, January 12 last year. It is reported that the Westmead Coroners Court heard yesterday that the retiree had suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhoea within an hour of leaving the restaurant. An investigation by the NSW Food Authority discovered Bacillus cereus in an asparagus cream sauce served to customers of the restaurant that night who had ordered the fish of the day, snapper. It is alleged the sauce was up to 48 hours old when it was served. The Food Authority is prosecuting for failing to place labels with dates on its sauce containers, an offence which carries a two-year prison term if a director or chef is convicted. The inquest continues today.
[03.6.010 A]

Australia - Honey industry being stung
23 Mar 2008
Sydney Morning Herald Mark Russell [edited]
The Australian honey industry was cited as saying it is under threat from contaminated Chinese imports which contain a potentially deadly carcinogenic and are being sold overseas as Australian-made. The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council was cited as saying the contaminated honey is being relabelled as made in Australia then exported to Europe. The council says the scam is putting the industry's international reputation at risk and it wants the Federal Government to take action to stop it. The council's executive director was cited as saying chloramphenicol had recently been detected overseas in royal jelly labelled Australian-made. He added it was not practical to expect quarantine officers to check every batch of Chinese honey and that importers were getting around labelling laws by blending a filler in Australia, mainly wheat gluten, with the contaminated royal jelly.
[03.6.009 A]

New Zealand- Food safety warning as three treated for toxic honey poisoning
22 Mar 2008
New Zealand Herald- NZPA [edited]
It is reported that a 32-year-old man is in a satisfactory condition in Thames Hospital after being one of three people to be treated for symptoms of toxic honey poisoning in the Coromandel. A 38-year-old woman and her three-year-old son have been discharged from the hospital. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority and Waikato District Health Board were cited as advising all consumers who bought comb honey from the Coromandel area in recent days not to eat the honey. the Waikato District Health Board spokeswoman Mary said two of the victims had seizures, adding that the honey may have had high levels of tutin toxin which if consumed can result in symptoms include vomiting, delirium, giddiness, increased excitability, stupor, coma and violent convulsions. The story explains that a number of people have been killed, incapacitated and hospitalised over the years from eating toxic honey.
Related sources
24 Mar 2008 - Television New Zealand - Newstalk ZB/ONE News
24 Mar 2008 - New Zealand Herald - Martin Johnston
[03.6.008 A]

Korea - Nongshim allegedly tries to cover up contaminated snacks
18 Mar 2008
BBC World [edited]
According to this story, a leading Korean snack manufacturer, received information back in mid-February that a spin-off of its famous shrimp chips contained what was believed to be a mouse’s head. However, the company allegedly suppressed the matter until it became public. Though the company promised to recall all products related to the contamination, it is reported that the company only got rid of some of the suspected merchandise.
[03.6.007 A]

Viet Nam - Diarrhea (Hanoi)
14 Mar 2008
ChinaView, Xinhua News Agency report [edited]
According to a local newspaper on Friday [14 Mar 2008], 7 people from Viet Nam's capital city Hanoi have been hospitalized over the past 3 days, after showing acute diarrhea symptoms. All the suspected cases of acute diarrhea ate dishes either made from raw materials or sold at small street-side shops before developing the symptoms. Their specimens are being tested by the country's National Hygiene and Epidemiology.
Related sources
20 Mar 2008 - Viet Nam - Cholera (north)
VietNamNet [edited]
According to this story, 15 acute diarrhea patients who all ate raw vegetables have been verified as being positive for cholera. The Health Ministry will seek sources of raw vegetables that have the Vibrio cholerae bacterium in the 3 provinces that have cholera patients. On 19 Mar 2008, the Health Ministry reported 2 more cholera patients in Hai Phong, raising the total number to 6 in this location. According to experts, cholera patients in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ha Tay all ate raw vegetables. In Hai Phong, all cholera patients ate raw vegetables bought at An Duong market which come from Kien An and An Lao vegetable-planting areas in Hai Phong and Kim Thanh area in Hai Duong province. Health experts tested some vegetable samples taken from the 3 provinces but they didn't discover the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. The Heath Ministry, thus, asked scientists to test water sources and fertilizer taken from vegetable-planting areas. According to the Deputy Health Minister, many farmers still use [human] excrement as fertilizer, and this is the source of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium and many viruses which can cause digestive diseases.
24 Mar 2008 - VietNamNet Bridge
27 Mar 2008 - Viet Nam - Diarrhea, cholera - (north) - VietNamNet
[03.6.006 A]

New Zealand - Springston residents forced to boil water after E. coli outbreak
13 Mar 2008
TVWorks Limited [edited]
According to this story, questions are being asked whether intensive farming practices may be to blame for a recent outbreak of E. coli in a small Canterbury town. The story says that residents of Springston, near Christchurch, have had to resort to boiling their drinking water to ensure it is safe. Last Friday the council stopped adding chlorine to the water because of complaints about taste. That forced residents to boil it to kill off harmful bacteria. Although the precise cause of the town’s recent E. coli outbreak is not known, the local well was found to have cracked and nearby irrigation systems are being eyed suspiciously.
[03.6.005 A]

Philippines - Father dies after eating puffer fish
11 Mar 2008
Cebu Daily News - Nilda Gallo [edited]
One person died and nine others fell ill after eating a poisonous variety of puffer fish locally known as “butete” in Barangay (village) Malbago in Madridejos town on Bantayan Island Monday afternoon.
[03.6.004 A]

Australia - Spielberg mini-series hit by Salmonella
08 Mar 2008
The Sunday Mail - Suellen Hinde [edited]
It is reported that an investigation has been launched by public health authorities after cast and crew on Steven Spielberg's The Pacific mini-series were struck down by Salmonella poisoning while filming in Victoria. Five people were taken to hospital and one had to be admitted after becoming violently ill at the You Yangs site. A further 25 people are believed to have suffered severe gastro symptoms after enjoying a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. The Department of Human Services and the Geelong Council are investigating.
[03.6.003 A]

Philippines - Typhoid (Laguna)
5 Mar 2008
Inquirer.net [edited]
In this story, a spokesperson of the city health office is reported as saying that as of late Wednesday [5 Mar 2008], there were about 1477 individuals downed by typhoid in Calamba City, but only 436 of them needed confinement in 6 hospitals.Meanwhile, according to this story, residents of this city and nearby Los Banos town have started to worry about the cause of the outbreak. A text message circulated in Los Banos warning people not to buy ice cubes because, allegedly, an ice plant in Calamba was mishandling its production.The spokesperson, however, said they had yet to receive reports of possible contamination in the ice plant but it would be a part of their investigation. He surmised, however, that the rather fast spread of the disease could be due to water contamination, but health experts had yet to confirm what really happened. Even though the city health office found negative results for typhoid bacteria in their water sampling test, he said they still suspected that the outbreak resulted from water contamination. He said 263 of the patients who had already been observed and undergone "blood culture" had tested positive in their "screening test." He added that not all of the patients could be tested because some could not afford the cost of the test. He also clarified that they noted cases in nearby Laguna towns like San Pablo City and Los Banos but that there might be a spillover of patients, adding that some patients were being transferred to hospitals in Los Banos and faraway towns in Batangas.
Related Sources:
5 Mar 2008 - USA Today
11 Mar 2008 - Manila Standard Today
12 Mar 2008 - Philippine Information Agency

[03.6.002 A]

New Zealand - Meat firm halts output after Listeria found again
01 Mar 2008
NZPA [edited]
Public health officials have, according to this story, told a meat company that has made two recalls of Listeria -contaminated meat to shut down all production of ready-to-eat products. The Auckland Regional Public Health Service clinical director was cited as saying yesterday that further testing of ready-to-eat meat and swabs from the meat factory involved showed they were still contaminated with Listeria . The latest contaminated product had not been sent for sale, and the factory had ceased production of these products and agreed to clean and disinfect, she said.
Related stories
07 Mar 2008 - New Zealand - Listeria contaminated food found at third hospital
TV3 New Zealand [edited]
Chicken sandwiches contaminated with Listeria have, according to this story, been found at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital café, the third North Island hospital to be affected in recent weeks. The story says that late last month Listeria was found in cold meat at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton and Auckland's North Shore Hospital. Both the earlier cases involved contaminated meat from the same company and the company has been forced to shut down all production of ready-to-eat products until it is given the all clear. In the latest case, a food contractor today informed the Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) that Listeria had been found in packaged sandwiches sold this week from Middlemore Hospital's Aviary Cafe. Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) were investigating the source of the contamination. Although the product was not distributed to other outlets the meat company involved had halted all production, and was undertaking a trade withdrawal.
13 Mar 2008 - Listeria at hospital traced to knife at food supplier's plant
Times Online - Rebecca Gardiner
[03.6.001 A]

February

Brunei - Seminar participants hit by food poisoning
26 Feb 2008
Brunei Direct [edited]
A total of 7 people were admitted to the RIPAS emergency ward yesterday [25 Feb 2008] where they were diagnosed with food poisoning in what appears to be the result of bad 'nasi ayam' that was served to participants attending a University Brunei Darussalam (UBD) seminar.
[02.6.012 A]

China - Mass food poisoning outbreak
25 Feb 2008
Shanghai Daily- Caj Wenjun [edited]
The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration was cited as saying that 72 employees from a printing company in Qingpu District suffered suspected food poisoning yesterday. Local FDA's Qingpu branch has collected dish samples provided by the only food provider to the printing company. Officials are conducting an investigation into the operation process and food preparation staff of the food provider. The food company's workshop has been shut temporarily. Officials from Shanghai Food and Drug Administration were cited as saying victims had eaten lunch and supper provided by the food company on Saturday. Employees in other shifts ate different dishes and didn't report any symptom.
[02.6.011 A]

Philippines - Diarrhea, fatal (Eastern Samar)
24 Feb 2008
Inquirer Network [edited]
At least 178 persons from the flooded city and towns of Eastern Samar were reported to be suffering from diarrhea, according to reports collated by the Office of Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas. The death toll due to flooding reached 18, the report released on Sunday said.The city of Borongan and the towns of Maydolong and Dolores, the report said, had the highest number of fatalities with 3 each. The rest of the dead were from the towns of Jipapad, Gen. MacArthur, Taft, Can-avid, San Julian, all in Eastern Samar; Pinabacdao in Samar; Dulag and Palo, both in Leyte; and Culaba in Biliran. The death toll is expected to climb as more reports from affected towns are received, said the operation chief. As flooding spawned by the relentless rain continued, diarrhea cases also rose, said the operation chief. He said that diarrhea cases were detected in practically all localities in Eastern Samar, with Borongan City having 38 people afflicted with diarrhea, the highest number of cases among all areas in the province. The other towns in the province, which had double-digit cases of diarrhea were Can-avid, 15; Llorente, 14; Guiuan, 14; Balangkayan, 13; and Taft, 10.
[02.6.010 A]

China – Toxic ingestion, sodium nitrite (Guangdong )
24 Feb 2008
The China Daily (Xinhua) [edited]
According to this story, health authorities in south China's Shenzhen city have identified sodium nitrite as the cause of a mass food poisoning that left 2 people dead and 61 people in hospital on Saturday [23 Feb 2008]. The health bureau of the city's Longgang district said the investigation had focused on a restaurant in which food and water samples were found to be contaminated with the chemical. The news was announced as 42 people were discharged from hospital on Sunday [24 Feb 2008], leaving 19 -- all described as stable – still receiving treatment. 63 workers of a local company suffered stomach aches, vomiting, and other symptoms around 11:00 am on Saturday [23 Feb 2008] after having lunch at a restaurant near their workplace in Longgang district. Two died after treatment failed. The other 61 had been removed from critical care, 42 of whom left hospital at around 3:00 pm on Sunday [24 Feb 2008] after recovering, according to the Health Bureau of Longgang district. According to this story, police have ruled out the possibility that the chemical was mistaken for salt or sugar by the chefs. Health experts warned that 0.2 grams of sodium nitrite could poison an adult and 3 grams were enough to kill. Local police and health officers have begun questioning the manager of the restaurant, patients, and employees.
[02.6.009 A]

China- China says raw materials of contaminated fish exports were imported
22 Feb 2008
Xinhua News Agency [edited]
According to the China's quality watchdog, the raw materials used in the China-made, allegedly-tainted frozen mackerel sold in Japan were imported. The mackerel was imported from Denmark and all supplementary materials except salt were provided by a Japanese company, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Such a statement was made earlier this week by the president of the Chinese processing company, based in the eastern Shandong Province. The administration also confirmed processing techniques for the exported mackerel were provided by the Japanese company, which had sent staff to supervise the processing.

New Zealand - Listeria in packaged beef at hospital cafeterias
21 Feb 2008
Scoop Independent News - Waikato District Health Board [edited]
Routine testing by Health Waikato's Food and Nutrition Service has uncovered Listeria monocyotogenes in packaged, externally purchased cold beef at Waikato Hospital. The testing was carried out at Waikato Hospital last week as part of the Waikato District Health Board's Food Safety Programme. The programme is not a compulsory one but has been in place since 2006 as a quality and risk management initiative. The packaged cold beef had already been cleared as fit for sale by the supplier. According to Waikato Hospital group manager, once the presence of Listeria was suspected, the product was withdrawn and relevant agencies, including New Zealand Food Safety Authority and Health Waikato's Population Health Service were advised. However, contaminated meat was sold in both Waikato Hospital cafeterias - from February 8-13, and served to some low-risk patients from February 11-13. The Waikato District Health Board medical officer of health said the risk of a person developing a Listeria infection after consumption of a contaminated product was "very small".
Related Sources
25 Feb 2008 - The New Zealand Herald- Angela Gregory and Maggie McNaughton
26 Feb 2008 - Auckland Regional Public Health Service - Bad luck behind Listeria outbreak, says under siege company
26 Feb 2008 - NZPA -Staff possible cause of Listeria , says owner
27 Feb 2008 - New Zealand Herald- David Eames
28 Feb 2008 - New Zealand - Hospital hit twice by Listeria
North Shore Times- Hayden Donnell [edited]
According to this story, two lines of Listeria -infected beef have been served to staff and patients at North Shore Hospital. All cold meat has been removed from hospital cafes and patient menus after Listeria -infected cold corned silverside beef was found on Monday. That followed the discovery that contaminated cold roast beef was served to staff and patients from February 5 to 20. Both products were cleared for sale by suppliers. Waikato District Health Board found the roast beef Listeria contamination during routine testing on February 20. It was removed within half an hour but by then it had already been sold or served to dozens of staff and patients at hospitals including North Shore. The corned silverside beef was served in sandwiches and salads as part of hospital inpatient meals and in staff cafeterias as recently as February 24.
[02.6.008 A]

US Olympic food plan disappoints China
21 Feb 2008
Associated Press - Stephen Wade [edited]
The United States Olympic Committee's plan to bring its own food to China has, according to this story, disappointed the head of food services for the Beijing Olympics. It is reported that wary of food quality in China following recent incidents of tainted products and reports of the heavy use of drugs and insecticides in food production, the USOC is planning to transport tons of meats and other foods to a training camp at Beijing Normal University.

Australia - Coles recalls sausages following metal contamination
21 Feb 2008
Scopical News/Data [edited]
Coles Supermarkets have begun recalling three lines of sausages after it was revealed some may contain metal wire fragments that entered into the meat products during their production.
[02.6.007 A]

Japan: Pesticide in Chinese buns
20 Feb 2008
Agence France Presse [edited]
Authorities in Japan were cited as saying Tuesday they had detected pesticide in meat buns imported from China. Methamidophos, the pesticide in the dumpling scare, was also found in meat buns in the western prefectures of Osaka and Hiroshima, officials in the two places said.
[02.6.006 A]

Australia - Probation for food contamination
18 Feb 2008
ABC News Online (Australia) - Australian Broadcasting Company [edited]
A northwest Tasmanian man has been placed on three years probation for contaminating several thousand dollars worth of supermarket food. The 44 year old admitted spraying a cleaning agent on the food. A year ago, he went into a Devonport supermarket and took a spray can of bleach from the shelves. He sprayed more than $4,600 worth of meat, fruit and vegetables before walking out. A shopper alerted a staff member and the man was later identified on surveillance tapes.


Papua New Guinea - Dysentery (Morobe)
08 Feb 2008
The National [edited]
There is a reported outbreak of dysentery at a High School in Morobe province. A Grade 9 student from the school reportedly came over to Lae to seek medical treatment and was diagnosed with dysentery. The student said there were many other students too with similar symptoms still at the school. The student said they were drinking water from the school's water system, which was murky, that the same water was also used for cooking, that the school water pump was unreliable, and that that the water source was not safe for human consumption.
[02.6.005 A]

Australia - Vegetable chips spur health alert
07 Feb 2008
Sydney Morning Herald - Kelly Burke [edited]
Potentially dangerous levels of naturally occurring cyanide detected in a popular type of snack food have prompted a statewide alert by health authorities. The NSW Chief Health Officer was cited as urging people yesterday, particularly children, to restrict their intake to no more than 100 grams per day of cassava-based vegetable chip and cracker products. Cassava - commonly known as tapioca in Australia - contains cyanogenic glycosides, which are usually removed in the processing stage of flour-making. One NSW-manufactured product was subject to a voluntary recall last month after unacceptable levels were detected, prompting fears that if consumed excessively, cyanide could concentrate in the gut, causing vomiting and weakness. Yesterday a second warning was issued after a Queensland company and another cassava-based product believed to have been imported from Indonesia tested positive for unsafe levels of cyanogenic glycosides by the NSW Food Authority.
[02.6.004 A]

Australia - Update on Salmonella Outbreak in Southern TASMANIA
07 Feb 2008
tasmania.gov - Tasmania Media [edited]
The Director of Public Health, today, gave an update on the progress of investigations into an outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis in the Hobart area. The director said 168 people had now been interviewed in relation to the outbreak involving several catered functions and some restaurant patrons. Of these, 79 have been identified as suffering from gastroenteritis symptoms, and 41 cases have been laboratory confirmed as being caused by Salmonella. He was quoted as saying that at least 8 patients have been admitted to hospital over the course of the outbreak, most of whom have since been discharged. He added that while the numbers could still grow as results return from laboratory testing, the outbreak had been contained promptly and all cases dated back to exposures between the 23rd and 25th of January. He said also that Salmonella had been isolated from a Tartare sauce sample containing raw egg and that the microbiological testing into the particular type of Salmonella was continuing.
Related Stories
07 Feb 2008 Tasmania - I'm so sorry, says cafe owner - The Mercury- Linda Smith
15 Feb 2008 In Tasmania, Government names egg farm at centre of Salmonella inquiry
ABC Australia [edited]
The State Government has named the poultry farm at the centre of a recent Salmonella investigation. The General Manager of Biosecurity was cited as saying that the eggs in the latest outbreak were supplied by a company, which has several farms providing eggs to caterers and restaurants. More than 100 people fell sick in last month's outbreak in Hobart.
20 Feb 2008 - Tasmanian Government Communications
[02.6.003 A]

Vietnam - The year of the rat starts with lunch
06 Feb 2008
The Wall Street Journal - James Hookway [edited]
According to this story, unexpected changes in Vietnam's food chain and diet have sparked a rodent-eating bonanza. The story says that due to bird flu, field rats have become a popular food in Vietnam.


Japan - Official says contamination of Chinese dumplings probably deliberate
05 Feb 2008
HDR Japan [edited]
Japan's health minister was cited as saying Tuesday that pesticide-laced Chinese dumplings that sickened at least 10 people in Japan and triggered a nationwide scare were probably poisoned deliberately. The frozen dumplings were contaminated with the pesticide methamidophos and blamed for a string of poisonings in December and January. Investigators, however, have found traces of the pesticide on the outside of the dumplings, rather than on the filling. The poison was also found in much higher concentrations than would be expected from residue from pesticides sprayed on vegetables. It is also reported that a Japanese government delegation started an investigation in China, where they were meeting with their counterparts. The group plans to visit the dumpling factory where the food was produced.
Related Sources
30 Jan 2008 - Poisoned dumplings put child in coma -Associated Press [edited]
06 Feb 2008 Japan finds second type of pesticide in Chinese dumplings - Malaysia Star/Associated Press
07 Feb 2008 - The Telegraph Japan - JT Foods fielded 11 complaints
07 Feb 2008 - Daily Yomiuri Online Japan finds more pesticide on packaging of Chinese dumplings
10 Feb 2008 - Japan finds more pesticide on packaging of Chinese dumplings - Bloomberg.com - Finbarr Flynn
14 Feb 2008 - Japanese local government admits domestic contamination of foods
Xinhua News Agency [edited]
A Japanese local government was cited as admitting on Thursday that pesticides detected recently on the surface of some Chinese-made dumplings packages are dichlorvos used in the store. The Tokushima Prefecture Governor was cited as telling a press conference that dichlorvos was also detected on frozen food made in Japan and show cases at the store, but the amount was too small to injure people. The governor denied any relationship between the incident and the recent mysterious poisoning involving Chinese-made dumplings sold in Japan. Analysts said the case in Tokushima indicated the possibility that food products may be contaminated during distribution and retail procedures in Japan. A later story cites the director of Hebei Province's quality inspection agency, as telling reporters here on Friday that the two batches of dumplings involved in food poisoning case in Japan were unlikely to have been contaminated during the transportation process in China. Investigations had shown that the dumplings were kept in the shipping container after they left the manufacturer and the inspection and quarantine authority of Hebei Province made sure that the door and seal of the container were intact when the shipment arrived at the customs facility The customs officials followed the rules, checked the documentation for the goods and let the container through without opening it, the official told a press conference held at the company's headquarters. Earlier this month, Japanese and Chinese investigators inspected the company but found nothing irregular. They also found no problems related to the purchase of raw materials or the production process.
[02.6.002 A]

Malaysia - Too many cases of food poisoning in schools
02 Feb 2008
The Star [edited]
S.M. Mohamed Idris, President, Consumers Association of Penang, writes that 33 students from SK Taman Seremban Jaya, Negri Sembilan were down with diarrhea and vomiting reportedly after consuming nasi lemak from the canteen. Thirty-five students from SK Taman Aman, Alor Star had stomachache, vomiting and headache reportedly after consuming ice cream with bread sold in the school canteen. Thirty-five students of SK Charok Kudong, Pendang, in Alor Star, were also reported to have suffered the ill-effects of food poisoning. Seventeen pupils from SK Gong Nangka were rushed to the Marang Health Clinic with vomiting and stomach pain reportedly after eating some keropok lekor from the school canteen. The Consumers Association of Penang calls on the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry to urgently investigate the main sources of these frequent food poisoning cases in schools and inform the public. If necessary, schoolchildren from the schools or the areas where food poisoning cases frequently occur should be advised to bring food and drinks from home for the time being until the problem can be solved.
[[02.6.001 A]

January

Australia - Food poisoning at funeral – Tasmania
31 Jan 2008
Tasmania Mercury/ABC News Online (Australia) [edited]
Dozens of mourners have, according to these stories, been struck down with Salmonella after eating contaminated sandwiches at two separate funerals late last week. The stories say at least 27 people in Hobart have been ill with diarrhea, vomiting and fever over the past few days and at least two have been hospitalised. They all became sick after eating sandwiches. The food was provided by a catering business which has been temporarily closed down while the Health Department investigates.
[01.6.009 A]

Philippines - 27 students downed by food poisoning
27 Jan 2008
The Manila Times - Francis Earl A. Cueto [edited]
Some 27 senior high-school students from a popular university in Mandaluyong City were, according to this story, rushed to the hospital late Friday evening after vomiting profusely and experiencing severe stomach pains, a few minutes after taking food from the private caterer who served the rations for their Senior’s Night. Two others—a school adviser and a propsman—also fell victim to food poisoning. The students, all from the Jose Rizal University, were rushed to different hospitals after experiencing dizziness and severe stomach pains after eating pasta.
[01.6.008 A]

Hong Kong - 31 more hospital staff ill in food poisoning
25 Jan 2008
Health and Community [edited]
Thirty-one more North District Hospital staff have developed gastroenteritis symptoms after eating food provided by a caterer at a party, bringing the total number of affected people to 69. The six men and 63 women aged 17 to 58 came down with abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea after eating at the January 23 party. Six sought treatment the hospital's accident and emergency department or from private doctors. None required hospitalisation.
[01.6.007 A]

China - Tainted water leaves thousands poisoned
17 Jan 2008
China.org.cn - Yang Xi [edited]
According to this story, tap water pollution at a residential community of Fuxin City in northeast China's Liaoning Province, has recently poised a threat to the safety of water supply for 2,636 households. The story says that by 6 PM on January 15, 1,139 poisoned residents had received medical treatment, with 59 people hospitalized but no reported death cases. All the poisoned locals are now in stable condition according to the local government's information department. Doctors concluded that it might be caused by food poisoning and then reported the case to the local municipal government. This mass poisoning case broke out on January 9 in the community, with many residents vomiting and experiencing diarrhea. The infected people received emergency medical treatment in local hospitals. The poisoning may have been caused by contaminated water, according to the residents. The households inside the community were warned not to drink the tap water at 6 PM on January 9.
[01.6.006 A]

China - Undercooked kidney beans suspected in illness of 300 workers in S. China
10 Jan 2008
Xinhua News Agency (China) [edited]
Company sources were cited as confirming on Thursday that more than 300 workers fell ill on Wednesday in Shenzhen after eating a lunch of Chinese cabbage and kidney beans at their factory canteen in the southern Chinese boom city. According to this story, investigators suspected undercooked kidney beans as the cause of the illness. Experts said kidney beans contained lectin, a toxic agent that could cause diarrhoea if the beans weren't heated thoroughly.
[01.6.005 A]

Vietnam- More diarrhoea outbreaks in Hanoi despite ministry claim
09 Jan 2008
Thanh Nien News - Nam Son [edited]
Twenty-two cases of acute diarrhoea have, according to this story, been reported in Hanoi since the health ministry announced December 25 that the epidemic had been contained. The Minister of Health is now considering developing a vaccine against the condition. It has urged the local government to instruct health and other officials to thoroughly inspect hygiene and safety at food production facilities and pumping stations supplying water to the city.
Other sources
9 Jan 2008 Thanh Nien Daily
[01.6.004 A]

Laos - Cholera (Xekong)
8 Jan 2008
XinHuaNet [edited]
A major diarrhoea outbreak caused by cholera in Laos' southern Xekong province has, since 25 Dec 2007, affected 254 local people, of whom 3 died, a local newspaper reported Tuesday [8 Jan 2008]. According to this story, recent tests have shown that the diarrhoea outbreak is caused by the strain called Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa. The newspaper quoted the director of the Xekong Public Health Department as reporting that the department is receiving new reports of cases almost every day. Doctors failed to keep the outbreak under control because the local authorities were unable to prevent people from travelling in and out of the affected areas, he noted.
Other sources
7 Jan 2008 - Malaysia Star
24 Jan 2008 - Cholera - (Xekong, Champassak, Saravan)
Xinhua News Agency [edited]
The government of Laos has urged all provinces to prevent an outbreak of cholera similar to the one in southern Xekong province in December 2007, which has so far killed 3 people and affected 364 others.
[01.6.003 A]

New Zealand - Bay of Islands shellfish hit by toxin
01 Jan 2008
New Zealand Herald [edited]
Holidaymakers were today warned against eating shellfish from the Bay of Islands after routine monitoring discovered an increased level of marine biotoxin. The area in question encompasses the whole of Bay of Islands, from Cape Wikiwiki north of Kerikeri on the east coast down as far as Cape Brett. The Northland District Health Board shellfish programme co-ordinator said a test site had returned a reading of 150 micrograms per 100 grams, well above the limit of 80.
[01.6.002 A]

Mongolia - Tainted vodka kills 11
01 Jan 2008
New York Times - Associated Press [edited]
A government official was cited as saying Tuesday that at least 11 people died and another 21 were hospitalized for drinking tainted vodka during New Year's Eve celebrations in Mongolia's capital. According to this story, tests showed that the vodka was made with methanol spirits normally used for nonfood purposes like cleaning.
[01.6.001 A]