Salmonella outbreak sickens more than 300 in Vietnam
The number of people sickened following a salmonella outbreak in Vietnam has exceeded 300.
The Ho Chi Minh City Ministry of Health identified the causative agents of the food poisoning as Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella spp. thanks to the results of stool and blood culture analyses.
As of November 12, 304 patients had eaten at two bakeries from the same chain. The patients fell ill in early November and were admitted to 14 hospitals. Among them, 244 people have been discharged, but 60 are still under treatment. A serious patient requiring intensive care has been taken off the ventilator and is stable.
The Health Ministry’s Food Safety Department said it received reports on November 7 that people had been hospitalized for suspected food poisoning after eating bánh mì. These people showed symptoms of stomach upset, diarrhea and high fever and were taken to hospital for treatment. Banh mi is a baguette sandwich that can be filled with pâté, Vietnamese pork roll, ham and pickled vegetables.
The Ministry of Health in Ho Chi Minh City has asked hospitals and the Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to carry out further testing and sequencing of isolated strains with the help of the Clinical Research Unit at the University of Oxford.
After receiving information about the incident, authorities inspected the site, blocked raw materials and took food and environmental samples to try to find the source and cause of the incident. The Ministry of Food Safety has temporarily suspended operations of the establishment.
This is not the first time that this type of sandwich has caused a salmonella outbreak in Vietnam.
A study published in the Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal found that 547 cases were recorded between April 30 and May 6, 2024 in Dong Nai province. Two people were seriously ill and a 6-year-old boy died.
Salmonella was found in 12 of 25 fecal samples and four food samples. An investigation revealed overlapping processes in the cooking steps. The raw and cooked food preparation areas were side by side. The staff did not wear gloves. Food and raw materials were placed on the ground or in two cold stores.
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