Two people died, 15 people were hospitalized for suspected poisoning

On the evening of December 20, Ms. Tran Viet Nga, Director of Food Safety (Ministry of Health), said people had symptoms of suspected poisoning after snacks and lunch at the conference on December 19. Of these, 14 people were taken to the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital and Duc Giang Hospital, one person was hospitalized in Nghe An, two people died outside the hospital with unknown causes, suspected to be related.

According to a report from the Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Department, the conference was organized by NBC Pacific Company Limited, with a total of 80 attendees. The main menu includes crab egg seaweed salad, seafood soup with mushrooms, roasted chicken with honey, red tilapia steamed with onions and mushrooms, sour fish soup, five-spice beef shank stew served with bread, stir-fried bok choy with mushroom sauce, Mixed fried rice, lotus seed sweet soup with longan and fresh coconut. The snack menu is tea, coffee, grape rolls, French pastries, Hawaiian pizza, and fresh fruit.

The same evening, the Department of Intensive Care – Poison Control, Duc Giang General Hospital, received a 52-year-old patient in a state of irritability and bruises all over his body. Diagnosis of severe metabolic acidosis, poisoning of unknown cause, underlying diabetes mellitus. The test shows methanol levels in the blood. Currently, he is in a coma and on a ventilator.

At the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, from the night of December 19 to noon of December 20, 13 patients with the same symptoms of nausea, dizziness, vertigo, no abdominal pain, and no loose stools were received. Some patients vomited 1-2 times, one patient had a mild fever. The patients were diagnosed with toxic poisoning and are currently in stable health.

In addition, a patient is being treated at Nghe An Provincial General Hospital and his health is stable.

At the party, in addition to the provided menu, there was 20 liters of white wine brought in by a company driver. They used up 8 liters, leaving 12 liters to take home. There were also 2 other one liter bottles of wine.

Long Bien District Police coordinated with Hung Yen Police to organize the collection of about 50 liters of wine and take 5 wine samples to send to the National Food Safety Testing Institute.

Currently, the cause of poisoning is unknown.

The Ministry of Health requested the Hanoi Department of Health to investigate, trace the origin of food, and test food and medical samples to find the cause. Temporarily suspend operations of the facility suspected of causing poisoning, investigate the facility’s food safety regulations.