Vung Tau General Hospital reported that as of 7 am on March 4 it had received 54 patients with symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, including abdominal pain and vomiting, after eating banh mi from a shop on Do Chieu Street.
Of the patients, 24 were admitted to the infectious diseases ward, four to internal medicine, six to geriatric cardiology and four kept under observation, while five were treated as outpatients. Eleven children are being monitored in the paediatrics department.
After receiving symptomatic treatment, most patients have stabilised, the hospital said. The case has been reported to higher authorities, and the local health station has been notified to investigate the cause.
Earlier, 22 similar suspected food poisoning cases linked to banh mi sold on Phan Van Tri Street in Hanh Thong Ward were recorded in the city, with patients treated at several hospitals.
Following the incidents, the municipal Health Department instructed hospitals to review their response to suspected food poisoning cases, ensure proper admission, triage and treatment in line with official protocols, and submit rapid reports to the Food Safety Department and the city’s health authority.
The National Food Safety Authority on March 3 asked Ho Chi Minh City’s Food Safety Department to prioritise patient care, trace the source of the suspected contaminated food, collect samples for testing and strictly handle any violations.
Authorities were also urged to strengthen food safety guidance for street food vendors and traditional dishes and to promptly disclose investigation results to inform the public.
