Food safety in focus: Health Minister urges compliance amid poisoning cases in Berdawni

The caretaker Public Health Minister, Firass Abiad, announced that scientific results from samples taken from a restaurant closed by the ministry in precautionary measures following cases of poisoning last July in the Berdawni area revealed the presence of samples that did not meet the required specifications. 

Contamination was found in the water used for washing vegetables, the vegetables themselves, and the ice used in the restaurant, reaffirming the validity of the preventive measures promptly taken by the ministry.

During a press conference at the Ministry of Public Health, Minister Abiad recalled that the ministry was notified on July 24 about around sixty cases of poisoning among Lebanese citizens, some of whom reside in Australia and came to visit Lebanon during the summer season. 

He stated, "Due to significant suspicion about the source of the poisoning, and after initiating the necessary investigations to form an initial picture of the causes of the poisoning, decisive measures were taken, including the precautionary closure of the restaurant, to prevent further infections until the causes of the poisoning were clarified."

Minister Abiad explained that the symptoms exhibited by the patients included fever, severe diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea. Four required hospitalization, and fortunately, they all recovered completely without any lasting effects after treatment.

"The ministry has decided to extend the restaurant's closure until it complies with the required health measures in its kitchen and ensures a system for treating the water used in food preparation and vegetable washing. The Ministry of Public Health will retest the water to ensure its bacterial purity, and the restaurant will need to fulfill all necessary health requirements before a decision is made to reopen it," Abiad added.

The minister emphasized the necessity for all tourist facilities to adhere to food safety measures and avoid laxity strictly. 

He affirmed that "through the Directorate of Health Protection and field inspectors, the Ministry of Public Health is committed to safeguarding food safety as it directly impacts both the citizens' health and the tourism season."

"The ministry will not hesitate to take the final decision to close any non-compliant establishments if cases of poisoning recur, regardless of the tourism season, as our citizens' health is our top priority."

He also urged tourist establishments and citizens in their homes to be vigilant about the possibility of surface water contamination due to the water shortage, encouraging them to report any suspicion of poisoning or suspicious places to the Ministry of Public Health. Upon notification, the ministry's teams will conduct the necessary investigations promptly.