Over 80 hospitalized for food poisoning after eating ‘banh mi’ in Ho Chi Minh City

Tang Chi Thuong, director of the municipal Department of Health, said on Saturday that four hospitals had reported food poisoning cases linked to the same banh mi stall.

Laboratory results confirmed Salmonella bacteria in at least one patient’s blood sample, matching the symptoms seen across most cases.

As of Saturday morning, 47 patients had been discharged, while others remain under treatment.

The reported cases include 47 at Military Hospital 175, 16 at Tam Anh General Hospital, 19 at Gia Dinh People’s Hospital, and one at Binh Dan Hospital.

According to Gia Dinh People’s Hospital, one severe case involved a patient suffering from intense abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, and diarrhea. Blood tests confirmed Salmonella infection, a common cause of foodborne illness that spreads through contaminated food or water.

Initial clinical findings indicate the majority of patients suffered gastrointestinal infections consistent with Salmonella-related food poisoning.

Most are now in stable condition, with ongoing treatment guided by the city health department’s medical protocols.

The Department of Health has instructed hospitals to follow its food poisoning treatment procedures, including rehydration therapy, organ function monitoring, blood and stool cultures before administering antibiotics, and antibiotic adjustments based on lab results.

Hospitals are also required to submit rapid reports on case counts, complications, and lab outcomes to ensure coordinated management.

Meanwhile, the municipal Food Safety Department has temporarily suspended operations at the implicated banh mi stall for investigation.

Samples of food and environmental materials have been collected for testing to determine the source of contamination.

The Food Safety Department explained that Salmonella, a bacteria found in the intestines of infected humans or animals, typically causes illness when consumed in large quantities through contaminated food or water.

While stomach acid destroys some bacteria, the surviving pathogens reach the small intestine, where they damage the lining and trigger food poisoning symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.