PCF Sparkletots gastroenteritis outbreak: Cases surged to 238, affected centres rose to 13 including 1 non-PCF centre
The number of people taken ill in a gastroenteritis outbreak has increased to 238 from 184 as of Thursday afternoon (28 March), with five more PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots pre-schools and one separate daycare centre affected, on top of the seven Sparkletots centres previously announced.
Of the 238 affected as of 4pm on Thursday, 222 are children and staff from across 12 PCF Sparkletots centres, said a PCF spokesperson on Friday.
The remaining 16 cases occurred at P.L.A.N. Student Care Centre, which is located at Block 306 Ubi Avenue 1, said a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesperson.
All 12 Sparkletots centres and P.L.A.N. were served food from Kate’s Catering, which had its licence suspended by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Tuesday.
Amongst the cases that occurred at Sparkletots centres, 25 people were hospitalised, of whom 11 have been discharged, said the PCF spokesperson. Those who are still hospitalised, including children, remain in stable condition.
PCF CEO Victor Bay said that the organisation is taking this matter seriously and that its priority is to ensure that the affected children receive the necessary medical care and attention.
“We are in close contact with affected parents and monitoring their children’s condition. Together with the principals and teachers, my senior management and I have been visiting affected children in hospitals and extending as much help as we can to these families,” added Bay.
The five affected centres announced on Friday are located at Blocks 231 Sengkang Central, 326 Punggol Coast, 221 Paya Lebar as well as 79B and 146A Toa Payoh Central.
The seven previously announced are located at Blocks 262A, 208, 210, 270, 290A and 298B Sengkang Central as well as Punggol North.
The MOH, NEA and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a joint statement on Wednesday that the gastroenteritis outbreak was traced to food prepared by Kate’s Catering, resulting in 109 people falling ill.
The PCF has since suspended Kate’s Catering services as a precautionary measure.
“Temporary food arrangements have already been made to provide meals from an in-house cook with the requisite certification or from another caterer,” said the PCF spokesperson.
Investigations into the cases are ongoing, said the MOH. Yahoo News Singapore has reached out to Kate’s Catering and P.L.A.N. for comment.
Last month, 30 children and one employee were affected following a gastroenteritis outbreak at the MindChamps pre-school’s Tanglin branch.
In November last year, another outbreak of the disease linked to the River Valley branch of Spize Restaurant saw 72 people affected. Among them was Sats employee Fadli Salleh, 38, who subsequently died as a result of his illness.
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