34 people hospitalized with food poisoning

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

Thirty-four residents of Talaka subdistrict in Pangkajene Kepulauan regency, some 60 kilometers north of Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, were hospitalized late on Monday with food poisoning. Sixteen of the residents remain hospitalized for further treatment.

The residents fell sick after attending a wedding party held by the family of a resident of Talaka subdistrict.

Dozens of the more than 100 guests who attended the party began to feel nauseous shortly after eating.

"I felt nauseous and vomited 25 minutes after I ate some pickles. Then I got a headache," said Harniati, one of the guests who was treated at the Pangkajene Kepulauan Hospital.

Other guests said they felt nauseous 10 to 15 minutes after eating.

However, they could not identify the food that had made them ill, as there were various dishes including pickles, fried chicken and fish.

Local residents gave the guests coconut water, which is believed to be able to help neutralize toxins in food poisoning cases.

Thirty-four of the guest were rushed to the local hospital as they suffered from serious food poisoning.

Reza Nur, a doctor who treated them, said on Tuesday there was still no official diagnosis, but it was likely the residents had food poisoning.

Adj. Comr. A.A. Mampiere, the chief of Pangkajene Kepulauan regency, said that he had handed over samples of the food and beverages to South Sulawesi Provincial Police headquarters in Makassar for further investigation.

Samples were also handed over to the South Sulawesi Food and Drug Monitoring Agency.

"We hope the examination by the two institutions can throw some light on the case," he said.

He said that the police had questioned eight residents, including Haji Tani, the host of the wedding party. -- JP