Health authorities launched an investigation after a suspected mass food poisoning case involving as many as 200 people occurred at a snack bar in Busan.
According to Busan's Yeonje District on the 28th, around the 19th, consumers who ate kimbap and other items at a snack bar in Yeonje District showed suspected food poisoning symptoms.
A total of 192 people suffered from stomach pain and vomiting, and 86 of them were hospitalized. Most have now completed treatment, and the patients who were hospitalized are reportedly being discharged.
On the 20th, the day the suspected food poisoning report was received, health authorities visited the snack bar and collected samples from ingredients and cooking utensils. Human specimens were also secured from symptomatic individuals.
The Busan Institute of Health and Environment is in charge of analyzing the samples, and the results are expected to take about a week.
Considering the high number of symptomatic individuals, health authorities recommended a three-day business suspension. Under current law, authorities cannot force a suspension until the sample analysis results are available.
Accordingly, the restaurant followed the recommendation and closed for three days from the 20th before resuming operations. The restaurant carried out corrective measures by discarding ingredients and purchasing new ones, and conducted quarantine and disinfection.
Yeonje District plans to decide whether to impose administrative measures, such as a business suspension, after the sample analysis results are released, by comprehensively reviewing the epidemiological relevance.