Several government agencies are investigating the cause of a mass case of food poisoning in a boarding school in Singapore.
Last week, 110 students who were staying at Nanyang Girls’ High boarding school fell ill with stomach aches and diarrhoea.
The students were staying at the boarding school as part of a four-week program for the secondary 2 cohort. The program was immediately suspended after students were found to be ill.
The majority of students were back in school on Monday, while the rest were recovering well, according to the school’s principal, Ng Chuen-Yin.
As of Tuesday, no new cases have been reported and the school is actively monitoring the situation.
“Our foremost concern, as always, is the well-being of our students,” Ng told The Straits Times.
The school has disinfected the dining and food preparation areas, as well as the boarding school premises.
The joint investigation at the boarding school canteen was carried out by the Ministry of Health, Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, National Environment Agency and national water agency PUB.
All the food handlers working at the school canteen have cleared the basic food hygiene course, the agencies said in a statement.
Investigations are still ongoing.
This is the second case of a food poisoning outbreak in a secondary school this year.
Compared to Nanyang Girls’ students’ mild symptoms however, Northland Secondary School saw 14 students hospitalised in January after suffering from vomiting and stomach pains. Most were discharged the same day, and all students recovered well.