99 Ansan Kindergarten Children Show Symptoms of Mass Food Poisoning... Some Also Exhibit 'HUS' Symptoms

At a kindergarten in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, 99 children showed symptoms of a group food poisoning, prompting health authorities to conduct an epidemiological investigation. Photo by YTN, screen capture from 'Byeon Sang-wook's Evening News'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] At a kindergarten in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, 99 students showed symptoms of mass food poisoning, prompting health authorities to launch an epidemiological investigation. Among them, some students were found to exhibit symptoms of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS).

According to YTN on the 24th, the number of students showing suspected food poisoning symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody stools at a kindergarten located in Sangnok-gu increased to 99 as of the previous day (the 23rd). This occurred five days after the first food poisoning case was reported on the 18th.

It has been confirmed that about 30 people, including students and their families, were hospitalized due to an infection caused by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, a type of food poisoning. As of this date, seven patients have been discharged, and 23 remain hospitalized receiving treatment.

Among them, some students were diagnosed with HUS. A parent told the media, "We found hematuria (blood in urine), so we inquired at the hospital and after a blood test, they diagnosed it as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome." The report mentioned that HUS is also called "hamburger disease," but industry experts noted that since this condition is not related to commercially sold hamburgers, it should be accurately described as caused by HUS to prevent unexpected damage to the market.

Health authorities believe the infectious disease likely spread through group meals at the kindergarten and are continuing the epidemiological investigation. However, since the contaminated food has not yet been identified, they are also investigating the possibility that the problem lies in snacks or meal ingredients that have already been disposed of, or that person-to-person transmission occurred.

Meanwhile, the kindergarten has been closed from the 18th of this month until the end of the month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.