Suspected banh mi poisoning cases in southern Vietnam rise to 469

The number of people falling ill after having banh mi at an eatery in Long Khanh Town of the southern Dong Nai Province has increased to 469, with 11 in critical condition.

Of those patients, 321 are undergoing treatment at Long Khanh General Hospital and stable, and the rest have been discharged, the town’s authorities announced Friday.

Among the 11 severe cases are nine are children, two of whom require mechanical ventilation and dialysis. They are boys aged six and seven.

The remaining seven children must receive intravenous fluids, antibiotics, oxygen, and correction of disorders.

According to family members, the six-year-old boy had banh mi from the eatery on Tuesday evening, and the next day, he vomited and had loose stools but was not hospitalized immediately.

On Thursday, he vomited more and had seizures, and was taken to Long Khanh General Hospital in a state of coma, cyanosis, cardiac arrest.

The boy has now been transferred to Dong Nai Children’s Hospital. He is still in a coma, with heart, liver and kidney damage.

The seven-year-old boy ate banh mi from the same place on Tuesday and then had vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. He was taken to Long Khanh General Hospital and then transferred to Dong Nai Children’s Hospital in a lethargic state with low blood pressure. By Friday morning, his condition had improved, his blood pressure was stable, his heart was stable, and he could urinate.

The banh mi eatery, named Bang, on Tran Quang Dieu Street of Long Khanh Town, sold 1,100 banh mi on Tuesday.

The next day, many of its customers developed food poisoning symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.

The number of cases kept rising and was reported at over 300 by Thursday morning.

Owner of the eatery, which has been opened for over a decade, said ingredients were bought from retailers around the town and there were no contracts.

The eatery has been suspended for further inspection. A preliminary check has revealed that it does not meet food safety standards.

The cause of the food poisoning has not been identified.

By Phuoc Tuan – VnExpress.net – May 2, 2024