Kimchi, a popular food made from fermented vegetables, is believed to be the cause of the contamination of many students and academic staff in Namwon City. An investigation has been initiated.
About 1,000 people in South Korea have suffered food poisoning linked to the traditional Korean food kimchi, which was contaminated with norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting, the health commission said on Saturday, July 6. BBC.
Officials in the southwestern city of Namwon reported 996 confirmed cases on Friday morning, although local media reported the number had risen to 1,024 by Saturday afternoon.
Kimchi, a popular dish made from fermented cabbage that was part of the city’s school meals, was now distributed to the sick. According to local authorities, 24 schools were affected. Students and staff suffer from vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache.
An open inquiry
After the first case was reported the previous day, Namwon city officials said they had launched an epidemiological investigation to find the source of the illness on Wednesday (July 3). After that, the number of cases increased rapidly from 153 on Wednesday to 745 on Thursday.
In a message posted on social media on Thursday, the city’s mayor, Choi Kyung-sik, assured that health authorities had adopted a “preventive and overwhelming response” to prevent the spread of the disease.
“We will ensure the safety of our citizens,” he added.
As a result, the Department of Disaster and Safety has temporarily suspended the production and sale of all products of the company where the contaminated kimchi originated. The company has also recalled other products already distributed.
Norovirus, the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, is a particularly contagious disease that spreads from person to person, through ingestion of contaminated food or contact with contaminated surfaces such as surfaces.
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