The cluster involved eight males and three females, aged between 55 and 68.

Kowloon City

Various food items including cooked shrimp and cooked rice

• Food suspected to be contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus

• Improper hot holding temperature

• Food prepared too early and failure to reheat thoroughly

• Purchase seafood from reliable and approved sources with health certificates issued by the relevant authority.

• Wash hands thoroughly between handling raw and cooked seafood.

• Store raw food and ready-to-eat food separately to avoid crosscontamination.

• Use separate food preparation areas for handling of raw, cooked, ready-to-eat and high-risk foods.

• Handle raw foods and cooked foods or ready-to-eat foods by using designated utensils, including cutting boards, knives and wiping cloths.

• Carefully plan the preparation schedule to avoid cooking food too far in advance. Cook foods especially high risk foods like seafood thoroughly until their core temperature reaches 75°C or above at least 30 seconds.

• After cooking, hot dishes should be kept at above 60°C and cold dishes at 4°C or below if served at a later time.

• Precooked food should be kept in hot- or cold-holding devices within 2 hours if not served immediately.

• Reheat cooked food thoroughly till the core temperature reaches at least 75°C or bring it to a boil.

• Strengthen the training on food safety, environment and personal hygiene of management personnel and food handlers.