Nine fall ill after eating shellfish in Hong Kong
By IANSTuesday, May 18, 2010
HONG KONG - Nine people have fallen ill after eating shellfish here in Hong Kong, and citizens have been asked not to eat scallops till further notice.
Four men and five women, aged 22 to 72, were affected with paralytic shellfish poisoning and showed signs of limb weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and slurring of speech, after eating scallops at their homes May 16 and 17.
The Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong urged the people Tuesday not to eat fresh scallops for the time being, Xinhua reported.
The affected people bought the shellfish from four markets in Sham Shui Po, Tseung Kwan O, Lam Tin and Tin Shui Wai areas of Hong Kong.
Eating shellfish contaminated with phytotoxin, produced by micro-algae upon which the shellfish feed, can result in food poisoning. Shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters and fan shells are common vehicles for shellfish poisoning.
