Dong NaiBlood tests of three children who became seriously ill after eating Bang bread showed that they were infected with E.coli bacteria.
The information was given by Doctor Le Quang Trung, Director of Dong Nai Department of Health, on the afternoon of May 4.
Mr. Trung said the test results of the patient samples will be available tomorrow. “On May 6, the Department of Health will have a report on whether the blood test results showing E.coli bacteria match the food sample or not,” the head of the Department of Health said.
E. coli bacteria often appear in fresh produce, beef, fresh milk, juice, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables… Symptoms of E. coli are usually nausea and vomiting, Watery or bloody diarrhea depending on the type of E. coli. The disease may begin 3-4 days after eating food containing bacteria and symptoms last for 5-10 days.
E. coli infects people of all ages, but young children and the elderly are more likely to get sick and experience serious complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome. This syndrome causes damage to red blood cells, causing kidney failure.
Doctors consult on treatment plans for seriously ill pediatric patients at Dong Nai Children’s Hospital. Image: Phuoc Tuan
Currently, authorities have recorded 530 people suspected of poisoning after eating Bang bread, an increase of 80 cases compared to May 3. Most new patients have mild symptoms and are treated at home.
Dong Nai Children’s Hospital is treating 5 seriously ill children, of which three are relatively stable and getting better. The remaining two children are still on ventilators. While one child’s prognosis is good, the other’s condition worsened due to a cardiac arrest during an emergency at Long Khanh Regional General Hospital.
Also this afternoon, Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City received a critically ill 6-year-old male patient transferred from Dong Nai Children’s Hospital. Currently, doctors are trying to check and re-evaluate the child’s condition and consult to find a cure.
On April 30, Bang bread shop, on Tran Quang Dieu street, Xuan Binh ward, Long Khanh city, sold 1,100 loaves of bread. By May 1, people who ate bread showed signs of poisoning such as stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea…, were admitted to the emergency room, were diagnosed with intestinal infections, and were suspected of food poisoning.
The owner of Bang bread shop said he buys ingredients and food at small retail stores and then prepares them at home. Including homemade pate (pork liver, fatty meat), homemade pickles (carrots, white radish), homemade sauce (including pork broth, seasoning powder, MSG, soy sauce). Other ingredients such as pork sausage, ham, pork… are purchased from elsewhere.
This facility has now been discontinued. Authorities are tracing the origin of the above ingredients and food, as well as testing samples to find the poisoning agent.