Two more people die of suspected food poisoning after eating char kway teow at a Taiwanese eatery

Two more people die of suspected food poisoning at a Taiwanese eatery

Two more people have died of suspected food poisoning after eating char kway teow at Polam Kopitiam, a Malaysian restaurant in Taipei’s Xinyi district.

The latest deaths occurred on April 27 and April 29, Focus Taiwan reported.

This raises the death toll to four after two other customers died after dining at the same place in March.

Two more patients die of multiple organ failure after dining at a Taiwanese eatery

On April 27, a patient who had received intensive care succumbed to multiple organ failure.

The individual had been receiving treatment using the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support system prior to his death.

Just two days later, a 40-year-old woman also succumbed to multiple organ failure.

According to the Taipei Times, her family decided not to perform emergency resuscitation.

Initially, the woman’s condition showed signs of improvement after treatment for symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

However, an infection caused her health to deteriorate again.

Deadly poison found in blood sample of customer who died in March

On April 28, 35 people reportedly fell ill after dining at the eatery from March 18 to March 24.

Bongkrekic acid, a deadly poison, was found in the blood samples of one of the two customers who died last month.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) explained that this “rare toxin” is created during the fermentation process of corn and coconut-based products.

It targets vital organs such as the liver, brain and kidneys, which poses life-threatening risks in severe cases.

This poison was also reportedly found in the fecal samples of a chef from the establishment.

During a recent inspection, officers from the Taipei Ministry of Health found unsanitary conditions on the premises, including cockroach feces on the dishes.

Additionally, the eatery failed to provide employee health records.

Following the recent deaths, two patients remain in hospital.

One of them has undergone a liver transplant, while the other is currently in intensive care.

As the investigation is still ongoing, all Polam Kopitiam stores in the city have been ordered to close.

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Featured image adapted from 寶林茶室信義遠百a13店-Polam Kopitiam-馬來西亞素食餐廳 on Facebook and Facebook.