4 Die After Eating Kway Teow at M’sian Restaurant Chain in Taiwan

As reported by the New Straits Times, the latest victim had eaten kway teow at Polam Kopitiam’s Xinyi, Taipei branch in mid-March. The 40-year-old woman developed symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting after returning home. According to Taiwanese Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang, she died on April 29 due to multiple organ failure.

He also told the media that the woman had been in intensive care for over a month. Her condition had worsened due to multiple organ failure and infection, prompting her family to give up on the emergency treatment.

According to The Straits Times, back in March, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on March 22 died two days later, while a 66-year-old man who dined there on March 19 died eight days later. They were also believed to have eaten kway teow, among other dishes.

The owner of the Polam Kopitiam restaurant chain had previously apologised for the food poisoning outbreak linked to his business and although he did not speak to the press, he did bow twice to express regret about the restaurant causing consumer panic.

Besides the four deaths, a total of 31 people were reported to have fallen ill after dining at the eatery. Two of them are in severe condition, with one still undergoing liver transplant surgery and the other hospitalised.

According to a Facebook post by Wang on April 6, a lethal toxin, bongkrekic acid, was found in the stool of the restaurant’s chef in a faecal sample collected. It was suspected to be the cause of the fatal food poisoning outbreak. On March 24, samples taken from his hands also tested positive for the deadly toxin. Even a minute dose of 1mg can be fatal to human beings. According to local Taiwanese media, the same toxin was found in most sick diners, but acid is rare.

Wang reiterated that the outbreak was confined to the Xinyi branch, but all Polam Kopitiam outlets were ordered to close during ongoing investigations. Local media reported that Taipei health inspectors who visited the eatery after the outbreak found cockroach droppings on the premises, knives stored on the counter next to the sink, and a failure to provide employee health records.