Grilled horseshoe crab served at the restaurant on Feb 14. — Photo tienphong.vn

CÀ MAU — Health authorities in the southern province of Cà Mau said on Monday they are investigating a suspected case of food poisoning after several diners were hospitalised earlier this week following a seafood meal.

Three people aged between 15 and 21 were admitted to Năm Căn General Hospital late on Saturday after eating at a snail restaurant in Năm Căn Commune.

The patients reported nausea, fatigue and numbness of the tongue within minutes of finishing their meal.

The group had ordered several seafood dishes, including snails, oysters and grilled horseshoe crab.

One diner began to feel unwell about 15 minutes after eating, followed shortly by the other two, who developed similar symptoms and were taken to the hospital for treatment.

All three were treated for suspected seafood poisoning and were reported to be alert and in stable condition by the following day.

Food safety officials said the illness was likely caused not by the horseshoe crab itself but by so – a similar-looking marine animal that is toxic if consumed.

Cà Mau's Sub-Department of Food Safety ordered the restaurant to temporarily suspend operations while leftover food samples were collected for laboratory testing in HCM City.

In a separate incident the same evening, a 46-year-old man from a nearby commune was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain, vomiting and numbness around the mouth after eating a horseshoe crab he had caught himself earlier in the day.

Health officials later said his condition was consistent with a digestive disorder rather than poisoning.

The Food Safety Authority has asked local health departments to investigate the cases and monitor for additional illnesses. Officials also warned that toxic marine species can be difficult to distinguish from edible ones, particularly when caught in the wild.

Health authorities urged the public to avoid consuming self-caught horseshoe crab and to choose restaurants with clear food sourcing.

Anyone experiencing numbness of the lips or tongue, vomiting or abdominal pain after eating seafood should seek medical care immediately, they said. — VNS