Director of the Quang Nam Provincial Health Department, Mai Van Muoi, said on Thursday afternoon that the victims were being treated at many hospitals and healthcare centres in the province and Danang City.
"Most of them are recovering," the official said. "We've sent samples of the food served to them to the Pasteur Nha Trang Institute for testing and will have the results in seven to ten days."
According to the department's report, many people had baguettes stuffed with pate, sliced meat, herbs, lettuces, pickled vegetables, and egg sauce bought at the Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An shop at 2B Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An City on the morning of September 11. From 11 am that day, some of them started to develop high fever, stomach aches, diarrhoea, and vomiting and had to be sent to hospital for treatment.
By the afternoon of September 14, 141 people, including over 34 foreign tourists, had been hospitalised with the same problems after having the same baguettes bought at Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An shop on September 11, the department said. "Many of them have recovered after receiving treatment.
The shop said that they sold 1,920 such baguettes on September 11.
The shop has been temporarily closed while local authorities are carrying out an investigation.
Doctor Tu Thi Ngoc Mai at the Vinh Duc General Hospital said that they had received many patients suffering the same food poisoning problems on September 12 and 13.
"Many of them have recovered but some still need further treatment," she said.
Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An is one of the most famous baguette shops in Hoi An City and has been open for over 20 years.
The shop has been featured on many famous travel sites and TV channels. In 2009, Madam Phuong was introduced on the Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations programme on the Travel Channel.
The Tripadvisor.com site also has over 4,000 reviews on the Madam Phuong, rating it 4.5/5.
