Nearly 100 Get Food Poisoning, But Officials Won't Say From What

[The Bobster]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Food-Poisoning-Officials-Wont-Say-From-297834831.html

Nearly 100 Get Food Poisoning, But Officials Won't Say From What
Published at 11:46 PM EDT on Mar 27, 2015

A "food source" sickened nearly 100 restaurant patrons in Philadelphia last month, but city and state health officials say Pennsylvania law bars them from disclosing what the food was or how it was contaminated.

Philly.com reported Friday that dozens of lawyers and law students became sick after a Feb. 27 feast at Joy Tsin Lau in the city's Chinatown. Some said they were bedridden and others had to seek medical attention after becoming sick, but the owner said her restaurant didn't cause it.

"It was not a problem with my restaurant," Chi Mabel Chan said. "Maybe they got cold or drank too much."

A "food source" was identified as the root of the outbreak, but city Health Department spokesman Jeff Moran declined to explain what the food was or how it was contaminated, citing state law that bars them from disclosing findings of outbreak investigations.

Wes Culp, a spokesman for the state Department of Health, said the law prohibits authorities from disclosing reports of "diseases or any records maintained as a result of any actions taken in consequence of those reports."

"We do not disclose information related to an investigation unless there is a public health purpose to sharing the information," Culp said in an email.

In a report two weeks prior to the outbreak, a city Health Department employee cited the restaurant for multiple violations, including a lack of soap and paper towels in the employee restroom, which was noted as a repeat violation.

 

[Whitebear]

• A Chinese New Year banquet caused Food Poisoning - Strikes Philadelphia Gathering of Lawyers, Law Students
  There were 250 guests at the Feb. 27 celebration at Joy Tsin Lau, a dim sum restaurant. Two days later, dozens of them fell ill, some ended up in the emergency room, according to the report.

 

[The Bobster]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...n-restaurant-after-dozens-allegedly-sickened/

Philadelphia Sues To Shut Down Chinatown Restaurant After Dozens Allegedly Sickened
May 22, 2015 6:00 AM
By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The city of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit this month in an attempt to shut down a popular Chinatown restaurant where dozens of lawyers were allegedly sickened during an event. Owners of the restaurant now say since then, they got a clean bill of heath from the city.

Known for its dim sum, Joy Tsin Lau at 10th and Race Streets is a go-to place in Chinatown. But this past February, a dining experience allegedly resulted in days of vomiting and diarrhea for 100 people, mostly lawyers and law students. On May 6th the city sued to shut Joy Tsin Lau down.

“So far we haven’t received anything from the city,” says general manager Kevin Ma. He says city officials tested the food and employees at the restaurant and discovered the illnesses were caused by a noro virus, not food poisoning from food served at the event.

And while he acknowledged negative inspections, including one on April 16th that included violations like cooked chicken parts found in a pot on a sidewalk and mouse droppings in the kitchen areas, Ma says the Department of Public Health came back on April 18th and gave them the green light:

“We did everything they asked us to do to make sure the restaurant is 100-percent running according to city code.”

Ma says the restaurant is open and serving customers, but will respond to the lawsuit once they receive it.

A spokesman says the city does not comment on pending litigation.