Yuen Long food factory Pak Ka Pun Choi has been ordered closed for cleaning and disinfection after the traditional dish poon choi, or "big bowl feast", it manufactures caused a cluster of food poisoning outbreaks.

The Centre for Health Protection confirmed today 44 more people fell ill after eating poon choi from the food factory, bringing the total number of people affected to 123.

Twenty men and 24 women aged three to 83 developed fever and gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting about three to 36 hours after eating poon choi from Pak Ka Pun Choi on January 29. Four sought treatment from private doctors and nine from public hospitals.

The food factory will remain closed until cleaning and disinfection are completed to the Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene's satisfaction. It can re-open only when the director is fully satisfied that the immediate health hazard on the premises has been eliminated.