- Five hospitalised after ingesting rat poison
- Source of the poisoning is still unknown
Aussies have demanded to know the source of a rat poisoning cluster over fears five people became ill after ordering food from a takeaway place.
Queensland Health is working to determine the source of the poisonings detected in the Metro South Health region.
Five people visited Queensland Children’s Hospital, Logan Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital in the last week, with tests detecting Brodifacoum. All the patients are believed to be fine and receiving treatment.
Brodifacoum is the active ingredient found in rodent baits and causes symptoms include bleeding gums, easy bruising and blood in urine or stool. In extreme cases, it can be fatal.
Speculation has been raised the source could have been a takeaway restaurant in Logan, with Aussies taking to social media demanding to know the name.
‘Why not name the fast food place?’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘Maybe you might need to name the place so other takeaway places don’t get affected it’s hard enough to make a living now.’
‘Would be great if you would name the take away so we know if we eaten there!’ a third said.
Five people have been hospitalised amid wild speculation that a fast food shop is responsible for cases of rat poisoning
A Queensland Health spokesman told Daily Mail that despite media reports that the Brodifacoum poisoning came from a fast food or take away outlet, ‘it would be incorrect to assume this because investigations are ongoing’.
‘No link or source has been identified so far.’
Health Minister Tim Nicholls admitted the source of the outbreak was unknown.
‘I know there has been some speculation about it, but the Chief Health Officer advises me as recently as this morning that we have not been able to identify the point source for the ingestion,’ he said.
‘Whether it’s contaminated eggs or contaminated mayonnaise or rodents, there are strict rules around food preparation food service, and they need to be adhered to.
‘Public health is really important, and that’s why the Chief Health Officer and the public health unit are carrying out really thorough investigations.
‘If someone’s done something wrong, then they will know about it, but if they’ve done something wrong, we have to prove it, and we have to make sure that we’ve got the evidence to do it, and that’s what we’re doing now.’
Brodifacoum contains a Vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant poison which causes rats to die by bleeding internally.
Brodifacoum is the active ingredient in rat bait and causes bleeding. It has een edeteted in a cluster of five cases in South East Queensland of people hospitalised
Fast food outlets can employ heavy use of rat poison to keep rodent presence down at their premises.
Chief health officer Catherine McDougall confirmed a cluster of poisoning cases in the metro south health region.
A statement obtained by the Daily Mail urges staff to be on alert for patients presenting bleeding symptoms that cannot otherwise be explained.
‘Clinicians have been asked to monitor for presentations with similar symptoms,’ Ms McDougall said.
‘This is routine when patterns in patient presentations are identified, so there is nothing for the community to be alarmed about at this time.
‘Queensland Health will notify the community if there is a risk to public health.
‘I encourage anyone with concerns about their health to see their doctor, present to the emergency department or contact 13 43 25.’
Treatment includes giving the patients a drip containing Vitamin K.
