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SINGAPORE: In Singapore, more than 110 people came down with severe food poisoning over the weekend after eating the local salad dish “Indian rojak” from a popular hawker stall in Geylang Serai.
The incident has claimed at least two lives so far, including that of a two-month-old foetus after its mother fell ill and miscarried.
The other victim, 57-year-old canteen worker Aminah Samijo, was put on life support last Friday and died on Monday morning.
Police have classified the case as one of unnatural death and are investigating.
After Madam Aminah was admitted to Changi General Hospital, she was given antibiotics and other medication. But still the infection spread to her kidneys and she suffered from acute renal failure.
Doctors said dialysis was out of the question because she was already suffering from low blood pressure.
Madam Aminah's husband is still warded for food poisoning. Relatives who declined to appear on camera said he will be given hospital leave to attend his wife's funeral on Tuesday.
The highly popular stall in Geylang Serai is under investigation.
One man said: "There was only a slight smell, so I thought it was nothing and I just ate (it). But it affected my mom, niece and auntie."
Said one patient in the hospital: "My wife noticed that the gravy tasted quite funny. After she told me, I found it to be salty and I stopped eating it."
The hospital is still testing blood and stool samples. While the cause has yet to be confirmed, the hospital said it could have been due to the food being left out too long.
Associate Professor Helen Oh, senior consultant, Infectious Diseases, Changi General Hospital, said: "If you look at the way rojak is prepared, it is kept at room temperature for prolonged periods and then just deep fried or fried very quickly just prior to being served to the person.
"If they took a large quantity of that contaminated food, that means... the load of the bacteria is higher. So the symptoms will be much more severe."
Out of the 77 patients who have sought treatment at Changi General, 16 are still hospitalised. Another 11 are warded at other hospitals.
A 59-year-old woman is critically ill. 24 others received outpatient treatment at various other hospital emergency departments.
The Health Ministry said all these cases started experiencing symptoms between last Thursday and Saturday. - CNA/vm
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