Suspension of Pow Sing widens to include nearby outlet; sharp spike in gastroenteritis cases reported

SINGAPORE - The authorities have widened their suspension of popular chicken rice restaurant Pow Sing to include its nearby outlet Pow Sing Kitchen, after additional cases of gastroenteritis were reported by patrons who consumed food there.

In a joint statement on Saturday night, the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Environment Agency (NEA) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said 10 suspected cases of gastroenteritis, the inflammation of the stomach and intestines, were reported by patrons who ate at Pow Sing Kitchen, located at 59 Serangoon Garden Way. 

This came after the authorities suspended Pow Sing Restaurant, located at 63-65 Serangoon Garden Way, on Wednesday after several cases of gastroenteritis were traced to the food consumed there. As of Saturday, 84 cases of gastroenteritis have been verified to be connected to Pow Sing, up sharply from the 29 cases the authorities managed to confirm on Tuesday.

"As a precautionary measure, to protect consumers from public health risks, NEA has suspended the licence of Pow Sing Kitchen with effect from 16 July 2016, until further notice," the joint MOH-NEA-AVA statement said. 

"Similar to the suspension of Pow Sing Restaurant, NEA has required the operator of Pow Sing Kitchen to dispose all ready-to-eat food, thawed food and perishable food items, conduct thorough cleaning and sanitising of its premises including equipment, utensils, work surfaces and toilet, whilst investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause or contributing factors to the outbreak."

The NEA said it has told Pow Sing Kitchen to dispose of all ready-to-eat food, thawed food and perishable food items. Like Pow Sing Restaurant, the outlet would have to conduct thorough cleaning and sanitation of its premises while investigations are conducted to ascertain the cause or contributing factors to the outbreak. 

The AVA, on its part, has collected food samples from Pow Sing Kitchen. It will be also be conducting checks on those who supply food ingredients to Pow Sing Kitchen. "Laboratory tests are ongoing," the AVA said without giving further details.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said it will be collecting stool samples from the affected patrons. Pow Sing’s food handlers will also be sent for stool screening. "Only food handlers who are tested to be free of food poisoning pathogens, and have re-attended and passed the Basic Food Hygiene Course will be allowed to resume work," MOH added. 

TODAY was first alerted to potential problems at Pow Sing Kitchen on Friday morning, when a reader who only wanted to be identified as Miss Cheong, 42, said she fell ill after eating chicken rice at the outlet during lunch time on Thursday. At about 8pm that same day, she began experiencing severe muscle cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. 

Miss Cheong, a freelance interior designer, went to see a doctor about an hour later, who diagnosed her condition as food poisoning. When the doctor heard that she had eaten chicken rice, he said: “I hope it’s not the one in Serangoon Gardens.”

Pow Sing's director Lee Chin Soo told reporters earlier this week that he and his staff have been eating chicken rice at the restaurant everyday since news of the gastroenteritis emerged.

"After I heard the news, I ordered all my staff to eat chicken rice everyday," he added. "I want to know where our food might have gone wrong. But everyone's ok, including me. I've been eating chicken rice every day. Why? Because I want to know whether my food is problematic." 

The joint statement by the three agencies said NEA will take "the necessary enforcement actions" against Pow Sing for any hygiene infringements found. "Licensed food operators have the responsibility to put in place systems and processes to ensure high hygiene standards are observed by their food handlers at all times," the statement added.

Singapore has been hit by a number of food scares of late. In May, a “community outbreak” of gastroenteritis cases in the Owen Road area led to a two-day closure of Pek Kio Market and Food Centre. A total of 180 cases were verified to be linked to the outbreak.  

In April, Goodwood Park Hotel’s bakery was suspended from operation after a spate of food poisoning cases was linked to the durian pastries sold there. More than 180 people were affected after eating the popular durian pastries from the hotel’s bakery between March 15 and April 16. 

Last month, Prata Wala at shopping centre Nex had its licence suspended for two weeks for cockroach infestations.