23 MRSM students suffer food poisoning after spaghetti incident

Twenty-three students from Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) Gerik suffered food poisoning after having dinner at the hostel, on Sunday.

State health, public transport, non-muslim affairs, national integration and New Village committee chairperson Dr Mah Hang Soon said the 11 male and 12 female students were suspected to have food poisoning after enjoying a meal of spaghetti with mincemeat that night.

Mah said he received a report on the incident from the Hulu Perak district Health Office at 12.45pm today.

"The students experienced mild symptoms and only sought treatment at a private clinic and no one was admitted," he said.

According to Mah, the cause of the food poisoning was still under investigation by the Hulu Perak Health Office.

Among the actions taken so far by the Health Office was to provide health education to students and staff as well as closing the hostel's kitchen.

Meanwhile, a staff at a private polyclinic in Gerik who declined to be identified said 18 students, nine male and nine female, aged 14 to 17 years, received outpatient treatment at the clinic around 9 am.

- Bernama