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NEA lifts food poisoning suspension on Mandarin Orchard Hotel's banquet kitchen

FILE PHOTO: Getty Images
FILE PHOTO: Getty Images

The National Environment Agency (NEA) on Tuesday (29 January) lifted the suspension on the banquet kitchen serving the Grand Ballroom at Mandarin Orchard Hotel, after a mass food poisoning outbreak in December last year was traced to events held at the location.

The agency is satisfied that measures rectifying the hygiene lapses have been implemented by the banquet kitchen. The hotel had also conducted thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ballroom. Both the kitchen and ballroom can resume operations.

The suspension was meted out on 5 December last year after a mass outbreak of norovirus – the virus which causes inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tracts – was traced to five separate events held at the ballroom between 1 and 3 December. There were 333 food poisoning victims, 14 of whom were hospitalised and have since been discharged.

Strong evidence of severe contamination

NEA said in a media statement on Tuesday, “There was strong evidence of severe contamination of the Grand Ballroom with norovirus from poor environmental and personal hygiene practices, including improper cleaning of vomitus from an incident in the Grand Ballroom prior to 1 December.

“Norovirus was detected from the stool samples collected from 26 affected cases, three food handlers and 51 service staff, including banquet servers who reportedly continued working while they were ill. Environmental swabs collected from the Grand Ballroom also detected norovirus from wall panel, carpet, table tops, chairs, unused table cloths, cutlery, and drinking glasses from the Grand Ballroom.”

To protect consumers from further public health risks, NEA had suspended the banquet kitchen serving the ballroom for 55 days until Monday. During the suspension period, the kitchen had complied with measures stipulated by NEA, such as disposing all ready-to-eat food, thawed food and perishable food items, as well as cleaning and sanitising the premises.

The kitchen had also submitted their plans on enhanced food safety and cleaning regimes. These include plans and systems to ensure that their staff practise good food and personal hygiene at all times and not work while sick. All food handlers have since re-attended and passed the Basic Food Hygiene course, while the food hygiene officer at the kitchen has also undergone retraining.

NEA to take action for lapses found

NEA is reviewing the findings of the investigations and will take appropriate action against the kitchen for the lapses found. It will also place Mandarin Orchard Hotel under close surveillance to ensure that the banquet kitchen adhere to what it has submitted in its food safety and cleaning plans.

Members of the public are reminded to seek medical attention early if they were to experience any food poisoning symptoms, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever or abdominal pain. To protect against norovirus, individuals should wash their hands with soap and water before handling ready-to-eat food, before eating and after going toilet.

Raw food, especially filter feeders like oysters or shellfish, should be cooked thoroughly. Contaminated clothing should be washed immediately and contaminated surfaces cleaned with diluted bleach. Infected individuals should also avoid preparing food for others when feeling unwell.

For health related queries, the public can contact the Ministry of Health at 1800-2254122. For feedback on any hygiene lapses, the public may contact NEA at the 24-hour hotline 1800-2255632.

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Poor hygiene practices found after spate of mass food poisoning cases: NEA

175 ill in mass food poisoning linked to events at Mandarin Orchard Hotel ballroom