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Gombak food poisoning: Salmonella found in stool samples

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry detected Salmonella in stool samples related to a food poisoning incident that resulted in two deaths last Saturday.

The Selangor Health Department said that the results of other samples sent to the National Public Health Laboratory Sungai Buloh are still pending.

"Results are still pending for other samples such as food from the incident, swabs from related surface areas and equipment where food was prepared, as well as clinical samples from the food handlers," the department told the New Straits Times in a written reply.

There are an additional 11 new victims of food poisoning who have been hospitalised compared to the 82 victims reported yesterday, it said.

"Five have been admitted to the ward, while the remaining three are still awaiting to be reviewed at the Emergency Department as of 10am today," said the department.

It added that so far, no obvious practices contributing to contamination were noted, as the food handlers had been vaccinated for typhoid.

"In making the fried eggs, the food handler will crack it open into a bowl before putting it into a frying pan to be fried. All eggs were washed before being used.

"The food preparation involved frying of the eggs and packing of the cooked vermicelli and all these processes were done simultaneously by the same food handler.

"The food handlers have been vaccinated for typhoid. Thus no obvious practices were noted to contribute to contamination."

The department said the eggs and vermicelli were reportedly purchased on June 7, a day before the food poisoning incident.

"The eggs used in this incident consist of free-range chicken eggs. In addition to fried eggs ('telur mata kerbau'), the eggs were also mixed into the fried vermicelli."

The department added that the actual cause of the food poisoning is still under investigation.

Previously, it was reported that two people died and 82 people aged between 19 months and 58 years suffered from food poisoning after having breakfast prepared for a school program.

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