Hong Kong education authorities have called on schools to stop providing high-risk foods after more than 100 pupils and teachers who took part in exchange tours to mainland China fell ill with acute gastroenteritis.
The call was made after health authorities on Tuesday evening reported another gastroenteritis outbreak among primary school pupils on a trip across the border.
“Schools should avoid providing higher-risk food such as raw and cold food, siu mei and shellfish seafood, when organising student exchange activities on the mainland,” an online notice for Passing on the Torch read.
The notice for the government-run education exchange programme also said the Education Bureau had requested that contractors for the trips stop supplying those food items.
Over the past few weeks, more than 100 students and teachers from nine schools on various study tours to the mainland have reported suffering from symptoms of acute gastroenteritis.
Last Friday, the Hong Kong government set up a task force in response to the surge in cases, promising to communicate closely with various mainland departments and units, and optimise tour arrangements.
