New Taipei Bento Shop Suspected Food Poisoning, 17 People Suffer Diarrhea; Health Bureau Orders Suspension

Cardinal Tien Hospital in New Taipei City reported today that during the Qingming holiday, multiple individuals sought medical attention for suspected food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, totaling 17 people (5 males, 12 females). After examination and inquiry into their dietary history, all patients had consumed meals from Qingliu Canteen Gongsuo Branch in Xindian District. One patient stated that after eating a braised pork hock bento from the shop on the evening of the 4th, they did not notice any abnormal taste at the time, but began experiencing abdominal pain and watery diarrhea around 8 AM the next morning, followed by fever and stomach pain around noon. Cardinal Tien Hospital stated that all patients' vital signs are stable, and they have received appropriate treatment and are under continuous observation. Emergency physician Lu Yun-feng reminded the public that if symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain occur, they should seek medical attention promptly and provide their recent dietary history for evaluation and follow-up. The New Taipei City Health Bureau stated that upon receiving the suspected food poisoning report today, it immediately dispatched personnel for inspection. All patients returned home to rest after medical treatment. Regarding the operator's failure to properly dispose of waste and lack of health examinations for food handlers, the operator was ordered to make corrections within a time limit. If improvements are not made by the deadline, a fine of NT$60,000 to NT$200 million can be imposed. Additionally, suspicious meals such as white rice and bento side dishes were sampled for hygiene standard testing. If subsequent tests are non-compliant, the operator will be ordered to make corrections within a time limit according to the Food Safety Act, and if re-sampling is still non-compliant, a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million can be imposed. The Health Bureau pointed out that since more than 10 people have accumulated suspected food poisoning symptoms and have been diagnosed by doctors as food poisoning or acute gastroenteritis, it has reached New Taipei City's standard for suspending operations. Therefore, the operator was ordered to suspend operations and can only resume business after completing improvements, obtaining approval after review, and passing environmental re-inspection. (Edited by Li Heng-shan) 1150406