91 people poisoned after eating Phuong bread, health has improved

On the afternoon of September 13, Mr. Mai Van Muoi, Director of the Quang Nam Department of Health, said that the number of poisoned patients was 91, including 23 foreign visitors. Currently, the health of the victims is stable, there are no cases of ventilators, 32 cases have been discharged. At Thai Binh Duong General Hospital in Hoi An, three patients are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit due to low blood pressure, increased white blood cells, and electrolyte disorders.

Meanwhile, the leader of Hoi An Pacific General Hospital informed that this place is treating more than 100 people with poisoning, including many foreign tourists, whose health has stabilized. The victims were hospitalized sporadically from September 11-13, with signs of high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and were given IV fluids, electrolytes, and antibiotics.

Admitted to the Pacific General Hospital in Hoi An at noon on September 12, Mr. Duong, a resident of Cam An Ward, Hoi An City, said he bought Phuong bread at 2B Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward to eat a day before. Afterwards, he had a fever of 40 degrees, stomachache, and diarrhea. All symptoms have now disappeared and he can be discharged in the next two days. The man said he had bought Phuong bread many times to eat, but this was the first time he had symptoms of poisoning.

At Vinh Duc General Hospital in Dien Ban Town, 12 food poisoning patients from Hoi An City are being treated, including two Australians. They all ate Phuong bread on September 11, then developed high fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and frequent and prolonged loose stools.

Patient Viviane Campbell, 69 years old, Australian, said he had been feeling abdominal pain around his navel for more than a day. At noon on September 13, he went to Vinh Duc General Hospital for emergency care. "On the morning of September 11, I stopped by Phuong Bread in Hoi An City to buy some food, then had a stomachache," he said.

Doctor Tu Thi Ngoc Mai, Department of Internal Medicine B, Vinh Duc General Hospital, said the patients were hospitalized sporadically on September 12-13. Medical history and initial signs showed that they were poisoned by the same food.

"Currently, some patients are stable, but some still show signs of fatigue and high fever. The hospital is monitoring them to provide timely treatment," she said.

Previously, on September 12, Hoi An Medical Center received information that many people were poisoned after eating Phuong bread in Hoi An City. After verification, the authorities said that the victims had symptoms of high fever, stomachache, diarrhea... after eating bread purchased at the above establishment on September 11. The time from eating to the appearance of symptoms was at least 2 hours, and at most 16 hours.

On this day, Phuong's bakery sold 1,920 sandwiches. The foods suspected of being contaminated were pate sandwiches, pork jerky including meat and water, meatballs, Vietnamese coriander, basil, onions, lettuce, fresh egg sauce, cucumber, pickled papaya, pork sausage... All samples were taken for testing.

Hoi An authorities ordered the bakery to close on September 13 for inspection. There is currently no conclusion on the cause of the poisoning.