TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A customer who died after they ate at Taipei vegetarian restaurant Polam Kopitiam was infected with the toxin bongkrek acid, marking the first instance ever recorded in Taiwan. 

The news was confirmed by the health ministry on Thursday evening (March 28) during a press conference, per CNA. The toxin was identified during an autopsy of one of the two people who died after eating at the restaurant.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the health ministry was aware of 18 cases of poisoning that occurred after people ate at the restaurant in question. Investigations into the cause of death for the other 16 individuals who have fallen ill, and the other deceased, are ongoing. 

All of those infected are believed to have eaten a rice noodle dish at the restaurant, the first having done so on March 19.

Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海), an expert on a panel convened by the health ministry on Thursday to discuss the cases, said consuming just 1 milligram of the colorless, odorless bongrek acid can be fatal. Yen said there is no antidote for the poison.

Prosecutors, the Food and Drug Administration, physicians, Taipei City Government, toxicologists, and labor inspectors are involved in investigating the cases.