14 fall ill after dining at Eaton HK hotel restaurant

Hong Kong health authorities have detected seven additional suspected food poisoning cases linked to a hotel restaurant in Yau Ma Tei, raising the total number of affected diners to 14.

The Centre for Health Protection said on Saturday it had identified three additional food poisoning clusters involving The Astor restaurant at Eaton HK, after initially announcing two clusters on September 3.

“The centre’s preliminary investigations revealed that all five clusters are epidemiologically linked,” it said, adding that 14 people had been affected.

It said that officers from the centre and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department jointly conducted an on-site investigation and required management to implement control measures.

“All affected people had patronised the buffet there before the operation,” it said.

The latest clusters involve one man and five women who consumed buffet meals at the restaurant between August 29 and 31. Between 16 and 40 hours later, all six developed symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever.