TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Eight people were hospitalized and one person died in Nantou County on Sunday (Nov. 26) after the group ate improperly cooked pufferfish on Saturday (Nov. 25) evening which caused food poisoning.
The deceased, a 44-year-old man surnamed Hong (洪), was also the person who prepared the dish, reported UDN. The group of nine people shared the pufferfish at Hong’s restaurant on Saturday night in Renai Township’s Qingjing area.
The pufferfish was reportedly given to Hong by a friend. Hong invited eight of his friends to join him for a hot pot meal where he prepared and served the pufferfish himself.
On Sunday morning, members of the group began feeling ill and reported numbness in their mouths, hands, and feet. After calling one another to check on their health, three members of the group went to check on Hong, who was discovered unconscious on the floor of his home.
The friends called 119 for medical assistance at around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. Hong was pronounced dead when the responders arrived, while four others were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The remaining four people who ate the pufferfish were contacted by phone and able to get to hospitals on their own. The eight members of the dinner party have all received necessary treatment and are no longer in danger, reported LTN.
The Nantou County Prosecutor’s Office will investigate to determine the circumstances of Hong’s death. Meanwhile, the Nantou County Public Health Bureau has collected samples of the pufferfish and other foods that were eaten for further testing.
Some species of pufferfish contain the poison tetrodotoxin in their internal organs, eyes, and skin, which can cause paralysis if ingested. These varieties of pufferfish should only be prepared by specially trained chefs.
