KAOHSIUNG (TVBS News) — Health officials in Kaohsiung City responded swiftly on Monday (Oct. 14) to a food poisoning outbreak at Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School (中正國防幹部預備學校). Forty-two first-year students required emergency medical attention after dinner on Sunday and reported symptoms included fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea, but the students have since stabilized, with no severe cases reported.
The Department of Health dispatched inspectors to the school, uncovering alarming hygiene issues in the kitchen and dining areas. Inspectors found evidence of rodents, cockroaches, and flies. They also noted improper food storage, lack of temperature records in refrigeration areas, and inadequate handwashing facilities.
The health department received reports from Kaohsiung Municipal Feng-Shan Hospital (鳳山醫院) and Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital (高雄國軍高雄總醫院). In response, they have mandated Jia Jia Enterprise Co., Ltd. (家珈企業有限公司), the school's meal provider, to halt meal services for seven days, ending Oct. 21, to conduct comprehensive sanitation.
Health officials warned that failure to improve conditions could result in fines ranging from NT$60,000 to NT$200 million under the "Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation" (食品衛生管理法). They collected 44 food samples and four environmental samples for testing and will conduct human sampling for affected students and kitchen staff.
The health department will oversee the school's sanitation efforts and continue health monitoring until Oct. 21. The community awaits the test results, which will determine further action.
