The Health Department has issued a new warning about eating coral reef fish after four people developed symptoms of ciguatera poisoning after dining on humphead wrasse in two separate incidents.
In the first case, a 46-year-old woman and a 14-year-old boy from the same family in Tseung Kwan O developed symptoms including numbness of the mouth and limbs, vomiting, diarrhoea and muscle pain.
The symptoms developed three to 12 hours after they ate humphead wrasse bought from a market in Hau Tak Estate on December 11. Both were discharged from Tseung Kwan O Hospital on Monday.
In the second case, a 32-year-old man and his sister, 28, ate humphead wrasse at their father's home in Yau Ma Tei on Monday.
The man was in stable condition at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital while the woman was discharged after treatment.
The Centre for Health Protection yesterday warned the public to cut down on consumption of coral reef fish, which can carry the ciguatera toxin. More than 230 ciguatera poisonings have been recorded this year.