Husband of Elderly Who Died from Eating Pufferfish Has Also Just Passed On

Certain food items are not intended for human consumption, and the following narrative serves as a somber reminder of the potential consequences.

On the morning of 8 April, at 6:10 am, the unfortunate demise of Mr Ng Chuan Sing, an 84-year-old Malaysian, transpired.

The cause of Mr Ng’s untimely passing was identified as pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening medical condition in which a blood clot becomes lodged within an artery in the lung, effectively obstructing blood flow and posing a severe risk to the individual’s well-being.

This event occurred merely two weeks after the passing of Mr Ng’s wife, Ms Lim Siew Guan, who was 83 years old at the time of her death on 25 March.

The catalyst for these tragic incidents can be traced back to a single, unassuming source: a pufferfish.

A Recap of What Happened

On 25 March, Mr Ng and his wife purchased a pufferfish from their regular fishmonger, a supplier based in Batu Pahat.

Following the consumption of the pufferfish for lunch, the couple began to experience symptoms indicative of pufferfish poisoning. Their extremities became numb, prompting an urgent visit to the hospital.

Mrs Ng succumbed to the effects of the poisoning on the same day, with doctors citing food poisoning as the cause of her demise.

Mr Ng, on the other hand, fell into an eight-day coma, but seemed to be on the road to recovery. Tragically, on the morning of 8 April, he was unresponsive during a routine nurse check-up.

Despite the hospital’s swift initiation of emergency treatment, their efforts proved futile, and Mr Ng was pronounced dead after 30 minutes.

In the aftermath of this ordeal, their daughter, Ng Ai Lee, is urging relevant authorities to hold those responsible accountable, raise public awareness, and bolster the enforcement of existing laws.

She held a press conference outside her parents’ house to update the media about the incident, saying that as of time of writing, the fishmonger had not come to her parents’ funeral, and had not apologised to her, too.

Although the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority Act 1972 prohibits the sale of fish containing toxins, there are currently no specific laws addressing the sale of pufferfish.

At present, the Johor Health Department is investigating the matter.

So, why is pufferfish so dangerous?

Dangers of Pufferfish

Many of us are likely aware of the risks involved when it comes to the consumption of pufferfish, but do we really know the details?

The fish contains a lethal toxin known as tetrodotoxin (TTX), where a mere 0.002g is sufficient to kill an adult human.

Mandated by the SFA in Singapore, pufferfish is only permitted to be imported from Japan once they have been prepared by certified professionals.

Considered as a delicacy called “fugu”, chefs are required to undergo extensive training to ensure they have the required skills and ability to prepare it safely. Just imagine having to take an exam to prepare a raw fish.

In Singapore, there still exist restaurants which offer pufferfish as part of their menu. However, one has to remain cautious. You can do this by adhering to the following tips:

• Never consume pufferfish caught in the wild or prepared be amateurs
• Never consume pufferfish liver and ovaries
• If possible, request for farm raised pufferfish over wild caught ones (as they are less likely to be toxic)

With all that being said, if you do ever suspect at risk of being poisoned, do note the prodromes to look out for:

• Tingling of the lips and mouth
• Tingling in the extremities
• Dizziness
• Problems with speaking and balance
• Muscle weakness and paralysis
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

In serious situations, death may occur from respiratory paralysis.

So think twice before trying to challenge death.

Another Prey of the Pufferfish

Zooming into a case closer to home, a local chef suffered pufferfish poisoning while tasting imported fugu before serving it to his customers.

Way back in 2007, Mr Anson Lim was the head sushi chef of a restaurant near the city.

However, tragedy struck when he was one day rushed into the emergency department of Gleneagles Hospital after experiencing symptoms of pufferfish poisoning.

Without any known antidote for TTX poisoning, Mr Lim was forced to pump his stomach. Watching the contents of his stomach travelling up a tube, he witnessed the slices of fugu being sucked out of his gastrointestinal track.

After vomiting out the contents and being sent into the intensive care unit, he was informed that TTX poisoning may take up to six hours to kill a person, hence he had to wait a gruelling 3 hours before knowing if he was completely in the clear.

Thankfully, Mr Lim did not become the first person in Singapore to die of pufferfish poisoning.