A hotel in Sha Tin has been ordered to temporarily close all its licensed food outlets after at least 88 people fell sick following a buffet dinner.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department issued the order last night to allow for a thorough disinfection of the Regal Riverside Hotel.
The patients, aged between five and 80, were among about 300 people, including students, teachers and parents, from a kindergarten that attended the buffet. They developed diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pains and vomiting.
One of them, a 38-year-old man, remained in Princess Margaret Hospital in stable condition yesterday. The rest were discharged.
After being alerted about the incident, staff from the health department took samples from the hotel and patients. Initial test results suggested bacterial food poisoning.
The hotel said it had conducted a comprehensive cleaning at its kitchen but that it would be inappropriate to comment further while an investigation was being conducted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Department of Health.