KOTA KINABALU: Five cases of puffer fish toxin poisoning have been detected in Sabah over the past two weeks, says the Sabah Health Department director, Dr Maria Suleiman.
She stated that five cases of food poisoning, suspected to be caused by puffer fish toxins, were reported in Kota Kinabalu (one case) on Jan 10, while a second case involved a family of four in the Kota Marudu district on Jan 24.
Dr Maria said that there were no fatalities, and the victims were aged 15 to 48.
"From the five cases, three patients were allowed to go home after receiving treatment while two others are still being treated in hospital and are in stable condition," she said in a statement Saturday (Jan 25).
She said all patients reported symptoms of dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea, numbness in hands and feet, and difficulty breathing after eating the puffer fish that they bought at a local market and cooked at home.
She said the Health Department had taken immediate prevention measures to raise awareness of the dangers of puffer fish consumption.
Puffer is a species of fish that contains nerve toxins (neurotoxins) known as tetrodotoxin (TTX), which is also found in some marine species like horseshoe crabs and sea snails (Naticidae, Nassariidae), as well as other amphibians such as frogs.
She said TTX contamination in food is undetectable with the naked eye because there is no change in colour, smell or shape in the contaminated food.
"Individuals who eat foods containing TTX can experience symptoms of poisoning within 10 to 45 minutes," she said, adding that the signs of poisoning include numbness of the lips, tongue, and face, headache, heartburn, nausea, diarrhoea and/or vomiting, as well paralysis of essential muscles such as respiratory muscles.
She said in severe cases, death can occur within six to 24 hours.
"We would like to advise the public to avoid consuming foods suspected of containing TTX. If you experience early poisoning symptoms, immediately seek treatment at a nearby clinic or hospital," she said.
More information and details about the dangers of TTX, including materials on the risk of poisoning and preventive measures, can be found on the Health Ministry website and social media page.
