14 children fall ill after lunch at Toa Payoh Sparkletots, at least 2 suffered from food poisoning

[The_King]

SINGAPORE - A Friday (Feb 1) lunch at a Toa Payoh pre-school left 14 children vomiting and having diarrhoea.

A spokesman for the PAP Community Foundation, which manages the Sparkletots pre-school at Toa Payoh East, said that about 40 pre-schoolers ate the same lunch, which started at around 11.15am.

The affected children, aged between three and six, started vomiting from about 3.30pm on Friday. None have been hospitalised.

Two of the children suffered from food poisoning, while another was suspected to have the ailment as well. Another three had stomach flu.

When contacted, PCF corporate affairs manager Samuel Ng told The Straits Times that parents of the affected children were informed as soon as possible.

"We remain in close contact with the affected children's parents and will monitor the situation," he said.

Speaking to Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao, a parent who did not wish to be named said he was informed about the incident at about 5pm on Friday. His daughter had vomited thrice by then.

"My daughter vomited five more times at the clinic and when she returned home. The school should have contacted us immediately, and not waited for two hours," he said.

Mr Ng explained that the in-house cook for the Toa Payoh East Sparkletots had resigned, and a caterer had been engaged since Nov 15 last year.

PCF did not disclose the name of the caterer.

He added that that the matter has been reported to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/14-children-fall-ill-after-lunch-at-toa-payoh-sparkletots-at-least-2-suffered-from