The Chief Medical Officer’s Office, Longleng has notified on the findings of State Public Health laboratory, Kohima on the cooked fish sample suspected to have cause food poisoning to 43 persons in Pongching village in Longleng.

The office of the CMO stated that –

1. The food contamination was determined by the SPHL lab to be bacterial, namely Streptococcus Aureus, E. Coli & Yeast and Mold.

2. Presence of S. Aureus in cooked food indicates unhygienic handling of food.

3. Presence of E. Coli in cooked food is an indicator of faecal contamination and a sign of unhygienic handling of food.

4. Food borne Mold and yeast may be hazardous to human health because of the ability to produce toxin metabolite known as mycotoxins.

5. Pesticides were found to be below the maximum residue limit as per Food Safety and Standard Regulation, 2021.

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On this note, the CMO’s Office, Longleng advised the public on ways to prevent such outbreak in the future by maintaining clean hygiene, specially handwashing (before and after handling animal products), to properly wash the utensils that are used for handling animal products, not to consume raw or partially cooked animal products, to drink filtered or boiled water, and to seek medical attention without delay.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of the district ordered the reopening of shops and establishments selling fish.