The number of people sickened by a salmonella outbreak in Vietnam has exceeded 300.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health identified the food poisoning agents as Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella spp. based on the results of stool analysis and blood culture.
As of November 12, two bakeries in the same chain served 304 patients. Patients have been ill since the beginning of November and have been hospitalized in 14 hospitals. Of these, 244 people have been discharged, but 60 continue to be treated. The seriously ill patient, who required intensive care, was disconnected from the ventilator and his condition is stable.
The Ministry of Health's Food Safety Department said it received information on November 7 that people were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning after eating banh mi. These people experienced abdominal pain, diarrhea, high fever and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Banh mi is a baguette sandwich that can be filled with pate, Vietnamese pork roll, ham and pickled vegetables.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health asked hospitals and the city's Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to carry out other tests and sequencing of the isolated strains with the help of Oxford University's Clinical Research Unit.
After receiving information about the incident, officials inspected the facility, seized raw materials and took food and environmental samples to try to find the source and cause of the incident. The Food Safety Department has temporarily suspended operations at the plant.
This is not the first time this type of sandwich has been linked to a salmonella outbreak in Vietnam.
Research published in the journalWestern Pacific Surveillance and Response Logfound that from April 30 to May 6, 2024, 547 cases were reported in Dong Nai province. Two people became seriously ill, and a 6-year-old boy died.
Salmonella was detected in 12 of 25 fecal samples and four food samples. The investigation revealed duplication of processes during the preparation stages. The raw and cooked food preparation areas were located next to each other. The staff did not wear gloves. Food products and raw materials were placed on the floor or in two refrigerator compartments.
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