On May 4, Dong Nai Department of Health Director Le Quang Trung announced that three children who fell seriously ill after eating Bang bread in Dong Nai have tested positive for E. coli bacteria. Further test results will be available the following day. The Department of Health will have a report on whether the E. coli bacteria found in the blood tests match the food samples or not on May 6.
E. coli bacteria are commonly found in fresh produce, beef, fresh milk, juice, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables. Symptoms of E. coli infection include nausea, vomiting and watery or bloody diarrhea with the disease typically appearing 3-4 days after consuming contaminated food. Young children and the elderly are more susceptible to serious complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome which can lead to kidney failure.
Doctors at Dong Nai Children’s Hospital are currently consulting on treatment plans for the seriously ill pediatric patients who fell ill after consuming Bang bread. Authorities have reported 530 suspected cases of poisoning from consuming Bang bread, with most new patients having mild symptoms and being treated at home while some are receiving critical care at hospitals across Vietnam such as Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City and Long Khanh Regional General Hospital where one child had a good prognosis while another experienced a cardiac arrest during an emergency at Long Khanh Regional General Hospital .
Investigations into the Bang bread shop revealed that the owner bought ingredients and prepared the bread at home, leading to its closure by authorities while they trace the origin of the ingredients and test samples to identify the source of the poisoning.
