Lao tourists being treated for food poisoning at Hoan My-Da Nang Hospital. 46 tourists including four children were treated for food poisoning during the weekend and later released. 

Doctors care for patients suffering from food poisoning. Photo: Ngo Trung.

A hospital in Da Nang gave first aid to 46 Lao patients who suffered from food poisoning on the morning of July 31. The patients said that they had abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting on the night of July 30 after taking dinner at a restaurant in Da Nang.

Twenty people were admitted to the hospital at night. At noon on July 30, the hospital received 26 more patients, with the same symptoms. Among the patients were four children, with one 2 years old.

Results of the test showed that the patients suffered from infection and intoxication.

Of the group, 42 people quickly recovered and left the hospital on July 30 while the four remaining patients left the hospital on July 31. 

Officials said this was the most serious food poisoning case in the city this year.

In May, a group of 17 tourists from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province were treated for food poisoning at the city’s General Hospital.

The city’s Heath Department has been investigating the food poisoning cases.

No food poisoning case was reported in the city in 2016.

In 2015, a group of 30 students from Hanoi, on a field trip to Da Nang, were admitted to the city’s General Hospital with food poisoning.

Doctors have warned that tourists should only go to hygienic restaurants recognised for serving safe food.

Da Nang hosted 5.5 million tourists in 2016, 1.67 million of them foreigners.

The city issued food safety certificates for over 3,300 qualified food courts and restaurants in early 2017. It imposes fines of between VNĐ100 million (US$4,500) to VNĐ200 million (nearly $9,000) for food safety violations. 

Le Ha