Ayam Masak Merah possible cause for 3 food poisoning deaths
ALOR STAR: A 62-year-old man became the third victim of acute food poisoning after attending a wedding feast in Kampung Huma in Tanjung Dawai, Sungai Petani, attended by over 2,000 people on Saturday.
Ibrahim Mohamad, who was warded at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani, died about 6.30pm today.
The other two victims were 11-year-old boy and a 24-year-old woman died earlier in the day while 30 other guests also fell sick.
With the rising number of deaths, authorities are bracing for more victims to come forward.
It is learnt that the food served at the feast held at the groom's house, was cooked through gotong-royong and the possible cause for the food poisoning was the Ayam Masak Merah dishes.
Some of the patients at Yan Hospital. NSTP/Lim Poh Chin
Mohd Nor Rahmat Yusof was from Kampung Singkir Laut while Nurshazana Mohd Rashi, an International Islamic University Malaysia student from Kampung Tempoyak, Bedong, was the bride's cousin.
Mohd Nor was rushed to the Yan Hospital about 1am this morning after he passed out due to severe diarrhoea and vomiting while Nurshazana, who also developed the same symptoms, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital about 12.45pm today.
Mohd Nor's body is expected to be transferred to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here for post-mortem this evening.
The other 30 victims were rushed to the Yan Hospital where some of them were warded while others were given outpatient treatment.
Yan Hospital director Dr Khadijah Sani said they treated 30 cases of food poisoning from 1am till 2pm today, with eight of the patients warded while the other were given outpatient treatment.
One victim is warded and four others were given outpatient treatment at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
It is learnt that 20 others were treated at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani with two said to be in critical condition.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported Nurshazana's cousin Hairul Azahar Harun, 33, said Nurshazana complained of stomach ache after the wedding feast at the cousin's house
He also said that Nurshazana's stepmother and her siblings aged eight and 10 also suffered food poisoning but recovered.
"Nurshazana was found by family members lying prone in her bedroom this morning and was rushed to the hospital but was confirmed dead there," he said.
Hairul Azahar said Nurshazana, the third of seven siblings, had gone to their cousin's house two days earlier for the wedding.
Mohammad Nor's mother, Norma Khalid, 45, when approached at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, said the youngest of five siblings had followed his father, Yusof Arifin, 50, to the wedding.
"They ate 'ayam masak merah' (a chicken dish) at the feast. At night, they complained of stomach ache. When the condition of my son grew worse today, we rushed him to the Yan Hospital.
"He lost consciousness and was confirmed dead at1 pm," she said.
The family of Ibrahim had taken his body to Besut for burial.
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