XN000022-1991-10-14 — Page 6

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1991

TIGHTENED BORDER CHECKING AND SAMPLING ON VEGETABLES

AND

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TIGHTENED UP BORDER-CHECKING SAMPLING ON IMPORTED VEGETABLES, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HEALTH (HYGIENE), DR M.B. ALI, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

CASES

OF

THIS FOLLOWED THE- DETECTION OF ISOLATED VEGETABLE-POISONING OVER THE PAST WEEK THROUGH THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

DR ALI SAID INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AND AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE INCIDENTS FOR THEIR ACTION.

THE SHENZHEN APPROPRIATE

DR ALI SAID A TOTAL OF 22 PEOPLE FROM 14 FAMILIES LIVING IN SHAM SHUI PO, MONG KOK AND TSUEN WAN WERE FOUND TO HAVE SYMPTOMS OF FOOD POISONING AFTER CONSUMING CHOI SUM IN THEIR MEALS.

ONLY FIVE FOUR WOMEN AND A MAN

—

THE OTHERS WERE TREATED AND DISCHARGED.

REMAIN IN HOSPITAL WHILE

OVER THE WEEKEND, A TOTAL OF 137 SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM STREET HAWKERS, MARKET STALLS AND MAN KAM TO FOR EXAMINATION.

OF THESE, 15 WERE SUSPECTED ΤΟ HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED BY

PESTICIDE.

TO PREVENT FOOD POISONING CAUSED BY THE INTAKE OF PESTICIDE-CONTAMINATED VEGETABLES, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES:

DO NOT BUY VEGETABLES WITH AN OBVIOUS STRANGE SMELL;

WASH VEGETABLES WELL BEFORE COOKING;

DIP VEGETARLES INTO CLEAN WATER FOR SOME TIME то PESTICIDES TO LEACH OUT;

ALLOW

WATER

BLANCH VEGETABLES IN BOILING WATER AND POUR AWAY THE USED FOR BLANCHING AS IT MAY CONTAIN DISSOLVED PESTICIDES; AND

COOK VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMPTION.

THE URBAN SERVICES AND REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS ARE ASSISTING IN DISPLAYING AND HANDING OUT POSTERS ON "PREVENTING PESTICIDE-TAINTED VEGETABLES POISONING" IN VARIOUS MARKETS.

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