News

Woman Hospitalised With Food Poisoning After Buying Raw Marinated Seafood Online

2024-01-04 , 8:32 pm

Online Seafood Purchase Turns Sour: Woman Hospitalised After Food Poisoning

Are you a seafood enthusiast?

If so, exercise caution when purchasing seafood ingredients online for your home-cooked dishes.

With the growing number of online platforms offering fresh food, convenience has become second nature to many of us.

However, a recent incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks involved in online food purchases.

Notably, a woman and her friend found themselves hospitalised after ordering raw marinated seafood online with dire consequences.

They both suffered from persistent vomiting and diarrhoea, which eventually led to a two-day hospital stay, accompanied by hefty medical bills totaling $8,000.

Looked Attractive On Online Store

The individual at the center of this unfortunate episode is Ms Wu, a 29-year-old engineer.

Her ordeal began on 23 Dec last year when she came across an enticing advertisement for marinated seafood on social media, as reported by Shin Min Daily News.

The images and descriptions were undeniably appealing, luring her into placing an order amounting to $172, which included a variety of seafood like crab, shrimp, scallops, and salmon sashimi.

Initially, everything appeared flawless – from the enticing visuals to the efficiency of the service.

Impressively, the seafood was delivered promptly at 7 pm on the very same day of the order.

However, a twist emerged during the transaction.

Red Flag: Apparently, The Fridge Had A Problem

The seller, apparently concerned about the salmon’s storage conditions, revealed that there was a problem with the refrigerator storing the salmon, according to Shin Min Daily News.

In response, they proactively canceled the order for salmon sashimi, promptly refunding $56.

Fortunately, no issues were reported with the other seafood items in the order.

That night, Ms Wu and four of her friends partook in the seafood feast, blissfully unaware of the ordeal that awaited them.

Started Vomiting and Having Diarrhoea The Next Day

The following day, Ms Wu’s morning began as usual with breakfast, but soon took a distressing turn as she began to vomit uncontrollably and experience severe diarrhoea.

Her condition persisted throughout the day, leaving her no choice but to seek medical attention at a hospital.

To her dismay, she soon learned that her female friend had also fallen victim to a similar bout of diarrhoea, while the three male friends remained unscathed.

Was this a mere coincidence? Medical reports suggested otherwise.

Doctors identified Vibrio bacteria in Ms Wu’s stool, a bacterium frequently associated with raw or undercooked seafood consumption, or exposure to seawater through a wound.

Fortunately, after a period of observation, no severe complications arose.

However, the cost of her two-day hospitalisation amounted to a substantial $8,000.

Experiencing Bloating Even After Being Discharged

Upon her discharge, Ms Wu continued to endure discomfort, grappling with persistent bloating in her stomach. This lingering unease necessitated cautious eating habits.

Driven by concern for the welfare of others who might encounter a similar fate, Ms Wu took it upon herself to reach out to the seller.

She urged the seller to temporarily suspend sales or, at the very least, to warn customers about the potential risks associated with their products.

Without quick action taken, this might just turn into another Shiok Kitchen tragedy, where 95 people fell sick to food poisoning.

Regrettably, the seller did not heed her plea.