RIYADH: A restaurant in Taif has been shut down and its workers told to take medical tests after 150 of its customers suffered food poisoning.
The control center of the Ministry of Health received an SOS call from a hospital at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, when 36 cases were admitted to a hospital as a result of food poisoning, according to an official from the ministry.
On receiving the alert from the hospital, the official said, the ministry sent out 15 medical teams to receive the increased number of patients which brought the total number of victims to 150.
Nine out of the 150 cases found medical treatment in nearby medical clinics while the other 141 were admitted to various hospitals for emergency treatment.
According to the latest information received by Arab News, many patients have been discharged from the hospital, while others are taking treatment in different facilities.
Currently, six children are in a pediatric hospital, 45 patients are kept under observation in Thurbah Hospital, seven patients in Khurma hospital and 19 in Qiyah hospital.
A total of 73 people among the victims have gone home after medical treatment.
The official said that legal action will be taken against the owner of the restaurant if the food outlet is found to have violated any of the regulations of the local authorities. The ministry has already appointed a committee of inquiry to look into the matter.