Perak orders caterer at Lenggong boarding school shut after almost 160 students, stuff fall sick

IPOH, September 11 — The Perak Health, Human Resources, Indian Affairs and National Integration Committee has ordered the closure of a caterer serving a boarding school in Lenggong after 159 students and staff fell ill with suspected food poisoning. According to Datuk A. Sivanesan, the chairman of the committee, 159 people aged between 13 and 52 began experiencing symptoms late on September 9, with the last reported case on September 10 at 1.40pm.

Most of the affected individuals suffered from diarrhoea and abdominal pain; however, 125 of them had headaches, 89 experienced nausea, 31 had vomiting, and 15 developed fever. All cases were treated at the school, with 10 requiring further medical attention at the Lenggong Health Clinic. No one required hospitalization, and all remained stable throughout.

Sivanesan stated that 34 clinical samples, 14 environmental samples, and one food sample were collected and sent to the Ipoh Public Health Laboratory for analysis. The caterer supplied the suspected food for a program at the school on September 9, and the Hulu Perak District Health Office conducted an inspection on the caterer's premises on September 10, recording a score of 78.16%.

Following the inspection, the caterer was ordered to close down, clean the premises, perform corrective measures, and conduct regular pest control. Meanwhile, the school's dining hall continued to function normally. Sivanesan also emphasized the importance of food handlers adhering to the Food Act 1983 and the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 to prevent future food poisoning incidents.