At least 52 people, including some monks, were hospitalised on May 30 after food poisoning in Chhnal Moan commune of Battambang province’s Kors Kralor district.

Commune police chief Chreng Chomroeun said on May 31 that people brought some food that included Banh Hoi (bundled rice noodles with other ingredients) to the Samrong Leu pagoda in the commune on May 30.

The monks and some pagoda visitors ate the Banh Hoi with vegetables and a sauce. Not long after that, they began to feel sick, with many of them vomiting and suffering from headaches before reporting the situation to the police.

Those who felt ill were rushed to Chhnal Moan Health Centre and Kors Kralor District Referral Hospital.

“Some patients were brought to private clinics by their families. In total, 52 people including five monks got food poisoning,” he said.

District police chief Pang Heang said some of the patients, including one monk, had already recovered and were discharged.

The rest of the afflicted seemed to be recovering but were still feeling ill. Medics said they expected that everyone would recover and be discharged within the next three days.

“We asked the medics about their conditions. None of the patients has died from the food poisoning, but they did get very sick,” he said, adding that expert officials had taken samples from the food to be tested and were still awaiting the results as of press time.