The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today said it is investigating a food poisoning cluster involving passengers on Cathay Pacific flight CX640 arriving in Hong Kong from Nepal on January 9.

This cluster is believed to be epidemiologically linked to another food poisoning cluster announced on January 8, in which the affected people had similar symptoms and had consumed similar food items before the onset of the illness.

The cluster reported on January 9 involved 14 men and six women coming from eight families/groups who do not know each other. They developed food poisoning symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain and fever, about 10 to 30 minutes after consuming in-flight meals. Thirteen of them sought medical advice upon landing in the early morning of January 9. None required hospitalisation. Other than the food served on the flight, the CHP’s investigation did not find that they had consumed any common food before boarding.

For the cluster announced on January 8, the CHP reported that the number of affected people has increased to 16. Nine were from the same exchange group, and the remaining seven do not know each other.

These passengers arrived in Hong Kong in the early morning of January 8 and developed food poisoning symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and fever, about 10 to 30 minutes after having meals served on the flight. The investigation revealed that the seven people who were not part of the exchange group had not consumed any common food before boarding the plane.

The CHP is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the two cases, including reviewing the food consumed by the symptomatic individuals before the onset of the illness, such as bread, fruits, beetroot salad, lamb rice, chicken rice and ice-cream, which were common food items served on the flights concerned, as well as other food items consumed at the airport or in Nepal prior to boarding. Investigators also took samples for testing from the same batch of food that was not served to passengers on either flights.

Furthermore, staff of the CHP and the Centre for Food Safety conducted an inspection, at Cathay Pacific Catering Service (H.K.) which supplied the food, and on the subject aircraft, to examine the food preparation process and hygiene. It was found that the food concerned was stored at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate manner.

However, as the beetroot salad requires more manual preparation and does not need to be reheated before consumption, the CHP has, as a precaution, instructed the premises concerned to suspend the supply of beetroot salad immediately.

Separately, the CHP has reported the cases to the World Health Organization and the Nepalese health authority, and inquired whether there are any other reports from other places of food poisoning among passengers on flights from Nepal to destinations other than Hong Kong.

The CHP appealed to those who were on the flights concerned to call the CHP hotline at 2125 2372 for follow-up and medical surveillance.

It also advised the passengers to seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of infection.