The number of patients requiring hospitalization due to suspected food poisoning from consuming chicken rice earlier this week at a restaurant in Nha Trang, a resort city in Khanh Hoa Province on Vietnam’s south-central coast, has surpassed 200 and is still increasing.

According to a report from the Khanh Hoa Department of Health, as of 3:00 pm on Friday, medical facilities had recorded a total of 345 cases of food poisoning related to Tram Anh Chicken Rice, a restaurant on Ba Trieu Street in Nha Trang. 

Among them, 239 individuals have been admitted to hospitals for treatment, and 201 cases are still now under hospital treatment.

While most patients are showing signs of stabilization, severe cases, particularly among the elderly and children, have been transferred to Khanh Hoa General Hospital for further care.

One particularly severe case being treated at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, who is 18 weeks pregnant, exhibits symptoms including a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius, a high pulse rate of 95 beats per minute, severe nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain around the navel. 

The patient has been transferred to the toxicology intensive care unit for close monitoring and treatment.

After receiving rehydration and electrolytes, the patient’s condition has stabilized, and medical professionals are presently monitoring both the mother and the fetus, according to Trinh Ngoc Hiep, deputy director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Health.

At Vinmec Nha Trang Hospital, stool culture samples from two five-year-old pediatric patients from Hanoi who consumed Tram Anh chicken rice tested positive for Salmonella bacteria, the primary cause of intestinal infections.

Tram Anh Chicken Rice restaurant in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

“The rapid stool culture test conducted at the hospital is just the first step in treating gastrointestinal infections,” said Hiep. 

“We are awaiting the results of blood and biological cultures.

“If the bacteria found in the patients correspond to those found in the food, we can confirm the cause of the poisoning.”

Currently, specialized agencies are intensifying testing of food and samples collected from the patients.

Hospitals are continuing to monitor the progression of the poisoning incident and updating each patient’s test results to tailor appropriate clinical interventions.

Simultaneously, the Department of Health is working with the grassroots food safety and hygiene units to investigate the poisoning’s cause, stop the infection source, raise public awareness about hygienic eating during the dry season, and review local cold, processed, and fast food.

On Wednesday, Tram Anh Chicken Rice restaurant was temporarily suspended from operation for investigative purposes.

Previously, in 2023, the Khanh Hoa Department of Health identified Salmonella bacteria as the cause of poisoning for nearly 400 students at a school in Nha Trang City. 

This bacterium is commonly found in food and can lead to poisoning and even fatalities.

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