Almost 20 pupils, employees at MacPherson pre-school fall ill with suspected food poisoning
Rhea Yasmine at The Straits Times
Seventeen children and two employees from a pre-school in MacPherson have fallen ill with suspected food poisoning.
They are from E-Bridge Pre-School's Circuit Road branch, and had symptoms of gastroenteritis from Sept 9.
No one was hospitalised and the case is being investigated, said the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a joint statement on Sept 14.
ECDA is currently monitoring the situation.
It is also working with the pre-school operator to ensure the well-being of pupils and staff at the pre-school, and has reminded the pre-school to comply with infection prevention and control guidelines.
"Pre-schools are required to adhere to the food safety and hygiene requirements specified in the Early Childhood Development Centres Code of Practice," said the statement.
It added that SFA has also been working closely with ECDA to reinforce good food safety practices in pre-schools.
SFA said food operators must play their part by adhering to good food safety practices, adding that it will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant food operators.
The Straits Times has contacted E-Bridge Pre-School for more details.
E-Bridge Pre-School has more than 20 centres in Singapore and is part of the EtonHouse International Education Group.
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestines, often caused by infections from bacteria, parasites or viruses in contaminated food, water or surfaces.
Symptoms include fever, vomiting and abdominal pain.
In August, two food poisoning cases were reported at pre-schools in Singapore.
On Aug 27, 17 pre-schoolers and one centre employee at Mulberry Learning's Punggol centre located in Northshore Plaza were reported to have developed gastroenteritis symptoms, with two children hospitalised.
Twenty-four children and two employees at PCF Sparkletots pre-school at Mountbatten Block 92 were also struck by a food poisoning case from Aug 23. Those affected recovered and returned to the pre-school on Aug 26.
