IPOH, Sept 26 — The canteen at SK Chepor has been ordered to close for 14 days until October 8 after 101 students came down with food poisoning.
Perak Health director Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha said the closure, under Section (11) of the Food Act 1983, followed an assessment of the school canteen which was found to be unsatisfactory, only recording a 67.9 per cent rating.
“Preliminary investigations found that the incident is believed to have been caused by chocolate-flavoured drink and fried chicken prepared in the school canteen’s kitchen.
“Students complained that the chocolate-flavoured drink sold on September 24 had a spoiled smell, while the fried chicken was found to be undercooked, with some parts of the chicken still raw,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Feisul added that the suspected agent causing the food poisoning is Salmonella spp., based on the symptoms and incubation period of the cases.
“The total number of cases is 101 (50 female and 51 male students) out of 1,054 individuals exposed, including students, teachers, and other support staff,” he said.
One student was admitted to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital ward for treatment and is in stable condition, while 62 others received outpatient treatment at nearby health clinics and private clinics.
The remaining students were found to have only mild symptoms and had rested at home, with all cases reported to be stable.
— Bernama
