Ho Chi Minh City: Nearly 300 suspected cases of food poisoning related to 'Coc Co Bich' bread

According to a report at 4 p.m. on November 11, 14 hospitals in the area recorded a total of 299 cases of suspected food poisoning after eating bread. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said it will continue to monitor and update the patients' progress and provide timely information to the public.

Photo caption — Patients in the "Coc Co Bich" bread poisoning case are being treated at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: BV

Military Hospital 175 received 175 cases, with 25 remaining as inpatients; Tam Anh General Hospital had 5 cases; Gia Dinh People's Hospital had 37 cases. Of these, 1 case had a positive Salmonella blood culture, 1 case had a negative Staphylococcus coagulase blood culture, 1 case had a Salmonella stool culture, and 1 severe case with multiple underlying diseases. The remaining hospitals received from 1 to 9 cases, most of which are currently stable and have been discharged.

Ms. NTMH (1978, An Nhon ward) said that after eating “Coc Co Bich” bread, she and her two children developed fever, chills, stomachache and diarrhea on the evening of November 6. Self-treatment was ineffective, so on the morning of November 9, she took her children to Gia Dinh People’s Hospital. All three were diagnosed with food poisoning, treated with specific antibiotics and electrolyte replacement. Currently, their health is stable, fever and diarrhea have disappeared.

Similarly, Mr. TMH (2001, Binh Loi Trung ward) after eating “Coc Co Bich” bread on the morning of November 6, the same evening experienced stomachache, vomiting, high fever and diarrhea many times. He was hospitalized the next morning and diagnosed with food poisoning. After intensive treatment, his health stabilized and he was advised to monitor for a few more days.

According to doctors, mild food poisoning can usually be cured after a few days, however, in severe cases, immediate emergency treatment or hospitalization is required to avoid serious complications that can be life-threatening. Therefore, when there are signs such as persistent high fever (>38.5 degrees), severe abdominal cramps, vomiting or diarrhea many times, or any signs of digestive abnormalities, you should see a doctor for timely treatment.

When symptoms such as sunken eyes, dry mouth, dry skin, intense thirst, little or no urination, dark urine, fatigue, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, cold hands or feet appear, go to the hospital. Patients should be careful not to arbitrarily use anti-diarrheal drugs, anti-emetics, or antibiotics without a doctor's prescription.

To prevent food poisoning, Dr. Vo Hong Minh Cong, Deputy Director of Gia Dinh People's Hospital, recommends that people eat cooked food and drink boiled water, do not eat raw or expired food; separate raw and cooked food; cover food tightly; reheat leftover food above 70°C before eating; refrigerate food, do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours; wash hands with soap before preparing, before eating and after using the toilet; keep the kitchen and cooking utensils clean.

People should only use food with clear origin, properly preserved and go to a medical facility immediately when unusual symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain appear instead of self-treating at home. Stores selling processed foods must ensure food hygiene and safety, keep them cold below 5 degrees Celsius; sellers need to be trained in food hygiene and safety, wash their hands with sanitizer before processing and before eating. In particular, if you detect a strange smell in the food, you should stop using it immediately.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/y-te/tp-ho-chi-minh-gan-300-ca-nghi-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-lien-quan-banh-mi-coc-co-bich-20251111191633190.htm