Indian Rojak Saga

Two women dead, another in coma and one had a miscarriage while more than 130 others fell ill as a result of the food poisoning from an Indian rojak stall in Geylang Serai. Here are all the stories on the case.

Singapore, April 6, 2009 - One woman has died after falling into a coma. She was among the more than 100 people who ate Indian rojak from a famous stall in Geylang Serai and suffered food poisoning.

Canteen assistant Aminah Samijo, 57, fell unconscious at home on Friday night. Earlier in the afternoon, she and her husband, Mr Ali, had patronised the rojak stall. The couple vomitted and had diarrhoea that night but Madam Haminah's condition got worse - she fainted at 11pm.

Her family called an ambulance which sent her to Changi Hospital. While Mr Ali's condition was stable, his wife developed a fever on Saturday. Her condition worsened and she died this morning at around 6.30am at Changi hospital.

Her body was moved to Singapore General Hospital for autopsy. Food poisoning could cause organ failure and death, and eldely patients are more prone to that.

Madam Aminah had kidney problems and low blood pressure before the incident.

The rojak stall, operated by a father and son team, had been shut following the food poisoning incident. Known as Rojak Geylang Serai, the stall had received a 'recommended' rating of two and a half chopsticks out of three by famous food guide Makansutra.

Those who fell sick sought treatment at the six major hospitals in Singapore and had said they had eaten rojak from the Geylang Serai stall.

By 5pm on Saturday, 75 of the victims had sought treatment at Changi Hospital. Seventeen of them were warded.

Tan Tock Seng, KK and NUH hospitals received 10, seven and nine patients respectively. Seven at Tan Tock Seng were warded while five had to remain at KK Hospital.

Singapore General and Alexandra hospitals had one patient each.

It is believed there were many more who had eaten rojak bought from the same stall.

The incident is believed to be the worst mass food poisoning case to hit Singapore since 2007. That year, more than 150 got sick after eating Prima Deli products.

Lorry driver, 4 children warded
Another victim, lorry driver Mr Abdul, 44, and his family also ate at the same stall though at different times. He and his wife and four children also fell sick. All of them accompanied him to Changi hospital but as the children became ill, three of them were sent to KK Hospital because of their young age while one was admitted to Changi hospital.

Mr Abdul's wife, Rohanna, who still suffered the effects of food poisoning, had no choice but to shuttle between the two hospitals to see that her children and husband were all right.

Mr Abdul had patronised the rojak stall with a friend during lunch time on Friday. His wife took their kids to the stall later that afternoon. It was their favourite Indian rojak stall.

On Saturday, the rojak stall had already prepared food for sale but had to dispose them when NEA and Health ministry officers came to inspect the stall. Both authorities are investigating. The stallholder and a worker were told to go for screening at the Communicable Disease Centre.
One stallholder said NEA officers also inspected every stall.

Singapore, April 6, 2009 - A TWO-MONTH pregnant woman who had eaten rojak bought from the same stall in Geylang Serai market, came down with severe diarrhoea on Friday evening and later suffered a miscarriage.

Madam Rosiah Samat, 38, suffered acute pains in her stomach and was shuttling to the toilet at least six times before she started to bleed profusely. 'It was pain like nothing else I felt before,' she told The Straits Times in Malay on Monday. 'I thought I was going to die. I could hear my children yelling 'Wake up, mummy! Wake up!' as I was falling unconscious. I told them to quickly call for the ambulance.'

Her 12-year-old daughter, Haidah Wahid, said that Madam Rosiah was covered in sweat and she was shivering all over. Shortly after, she fainted and was rushed to the KK Women's and Children's hospital where she was later told that she had suffered a miscarriage.

More on Indian Rojak
Singapore, April 8, 2009 - Another woman has died in the Indian rojak food poisoning.
She is Madam Noraini Kasim, who went into a coma after eating rojak bought Rojak Geylang Serai. Madam Noraini, 59, died this morning, five days after she was warded in Alexandra Hospital's intensive care unit.

According to her husband, Mr Mohd Salleh Sapir, she had a history of diabetes.

But the hygiene standards at Rojak Geylang Serai were deemed satisfactory in December last year - it scored a 'C' grading when National Environment Agency (NEA) officials conducted a check. Four months later, 137 patrons suffered food poisoning - one has died and another is still in a coma.

A spokesman for the agency said stalls with 'C' or 'D' grading are inspected more frequently than those with 'A' and 'B' grading. Grades are reviewed every year by environmental health officers. During inspections, hygiene irregularities are pointed out and stallholders have the responsibility to correct them.

The NEA said the hygiene standards of stalls at the Geylang Serai temporary market remain satisfactory, but it will continue to keep a close watch.

Meanwhile, the outbreak of food poisoning among those who ate Indian rojak at a Geylang Serai temporary hawker centre has worsened, with the Ministry of Health (MOH) raising the number of those who fell ill to 137, up from 111.

Of these, 37 have been warded in hospital, while the rest were given outpatient treatment. Among the 37 warded were one woman who has died, and one who is in a coma.

Tests show two victims had bacteria common in partially cooked seafood The Geylang Serai Temporary Market has been shut down from today till Friday.