31 fall ill after wedding banquet at East Tsim Sha Tsui hotel

Thirty-one guests fell ill with suspected food poisoning after attending a Chinese wedding banquet at the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel in East Tsim Sha Tsui last Saturday (Dec 6).

The Centre for Health Protection said the group developed abdominal pain and diarrhea between two and 27 hours after the meal. One person sought medical attention, but none required hospitalization.

A preliminary investigation found the diners had eaten several common dishes, including roast suckling pig.

Food safety officers said the pig had been prepared too early and may have been contaminated during storage. They also noted it had not been thoroughly reheated.

The Centre for Food Safety has ordered the hotel to suspend serving the implicated dish, conduct cleaning and disinfection, and provide food safety training to staff. Food and environmental samples have been collected for testing.