Mr. Nguyen Dang Ngoan, Director of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine, reported that from March 21 to March 27, 152 individuals from the districts of Vinh Loc, Cam Thuy, and Ba Thuc in Thanh Hoa province suffered from food poisoning due to consuming silkworm larvae.
The affected patients exhibited common symptoms including headaches, dizziness, muscle swelling, and vomiting, although none experienced diarrhea.
According to the patients’ accounts, their families had purchased the silkworm larvae from street vendors residing in Vinh Loc district, which led to the poisoning. The onset of symptoms occurred as early as 30 minutes after consumption, with the latest reported cases showing symptoms after 6 hours. Fortunately, the patients received timely first aid, and none were in critical condition. As of March 28, eight patients remained hospitalized for treatment. The initial diagnosis by doctors suggested that the poisoning may have been caused by chemical contamination from substances mixed in by the vendor to preserve the silkworm larvae.
Currently, the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine has sent samples to the central laboratory for testing to determine the exact cause of the poisoning.
