3 more schools in Ho Chi Minh City halt lunch service after mass food poisoning

Binh Quoi Tay Middle School on Monday announced it would stop providing lunch from Tuesday until further notice.

Students will continue attending classes as scheduled, but parents must arrange meals at home or prepare food for their children to bring to school.

The school will still allow students to rest at noon, with parents registering through links provided by homeroom teachers.

Refunds will be issued for lunch and related services during the suspension.

Thanh Da Middle School in Binh Quoi Ward and Lam Son Middle School in Gia Dinh Ward also suspended lunch services starting Monday.

Le Dinh Thao, principal at Lam Son Middle School, explained the decision was made to ensure student safety while authorities investigate a food poisoning case that occurred at Binh Quoi Tay Elementary School on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

The incident was first reported on Wednesday morning, when 41 students displayed symptoms consistent with digestive disorders.

Two students with more severe symptoms, including high fever and persistent vomiting, were transferred to Binh Thanh General Hospital for further treatment.

Other affected students were initially treated at the school’s medical room, where staff administered fever-reducing measures, oral rehydration, and medication to relieve abdominal cramps.

According to school principal Diep Thi Ngoc Tien, the students began exhibiting signs of fatigue, fever, and vomiting between 7:35 and 7:40 am, before consuming any food at school.

The symptoms were observed across multiple classes in grades one through three and increased in number following the morning break.

The number of affected students then rose to 202.

Samples of food ingredients and patient specimens are being tested to determine the source of contamination.

Thanh Da Middle School said the suspension was necessary to protect students during final exams.

Both schools emphasized that classes will continue as normal, but parents must provide lunch until official results are released and the catering company is cleared.

All four schools, including Binh Quoi Tay Elementary School, had been using meals prepared by the same catering company.