The number of people sickened in a suspected food poisoning incident at INPARADISE's Breeze Xinyi branch in Taipei has risen to 53, the Taipei Department of Health said today.
The poisoning incident, which affected people who ate at the upscale buffet restaurant on Sunday and Monday, came to light on Tuesday after a growing number of diners developed symptoms such as vomiting, stomachache and diarrhea.
Photo: CNA
Hospitals reported the cluster of related cases to Taipei health authorities on Tuesday, which ordered the restaurant to close later that day.
In a press release today, the department said its officials had visited the restaurant earlier in the day as part of an epidemiological investigation into the incident with the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration.
If the restaurant is found to have been the source of the illnesses, it could be fined NT$60,000 to NT$200 million (US$1,823 to US$6.07 million) under Article 15 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), the department said.
Based on the victims' symptoms, it appears likely that they are suffering from norovirus, which is the most common cause of gastroenteritis and can be hard to kill with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, the department said.
To prevent transmission, proper hand washing with soap and water and disinfection of surfaces with bleach water is necessary, it said.
Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁), head of the department's Food and Drug Division, said test results from environmental and employee hand samples at the restaurant are expected to be ready in one to two weeks.
Meanwhile, Lin said the city government has rejected "multiple" requests by the restaurant to reopen for business.
The city would only consider evaluating the requests after there has been a 24-hour period in which no new food poisoning cases have been reported, she said.
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