Some students with suspected food poisoning receive treatment at a medical facility on the afternoon of April 9. — Photo danviet.vn

HCM CITY — Health authorities in HCM City are investigating a suspected food poisoning incident at a primary school after tests detected Salmonella in stool samples, while the number of affected students has continued to rise.

The city’s Department of Health said on Friday that initial laboratory results linked the bacteria to a cluster of illnesses at Bình Quới Tây Primary School. As of Friday morning, hospitals and clinics had recorded 148 suspected cases, including 46 students admitted for inpatient care and 102 treated and monitored as outpatients.

Students have been treated across several facilities, including Gia Định People’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital 2, Bình Thạnh General Hospital and a local ward health station. Officials said all patients are in stable condition, with no severe cases reported.

Preliminary test results from Gia Định People’s Hospital found that seven out of 10 stool samples tested positive for Salmonella. Further testing is underway to identify the specific strain and determine the source of infection.

The incident first came to light late on April 8, when local authorities were alerted that several pupils had developed symptoms including abdominal pain and vomiting. Officials from the ward’s social affairs division were dispatched alongside police and health workers to assess the situation and begin an investigation.

The school has 906 students. By mid-afternoon that day, 116 had reported symptoms, and on-site screening identified 41 with signs of gastrointestinal illness, including vomiting, fever and headaches. 

Two students with more severe symptoms were transferred to the hospital for monitoring, while the rest were treated at school with oral rehydration solution and later sent home.

Early epidemiological findings suggest there is no single, obvious source of exposure. Students reported eating breakfast in different places – at home, from vendors outside the school or at the canteen – and using different water sources, either at school or brought from home.

Authorities said no similar infectious disease cases had been reported at the school or in the surrounding area over the previous two weeks, and the cases appear to be scattered rather than linked to a single exposure.

Health officials have instructed medical units to closely track developments and follow treatment protocols, while continuing to collect samples and trace potential sources.

The investigation is ongoing. — VNS