RIYADH: Riyadh Municipality concluded on Friday that only one food facility had been found accountable for the wave of food poisoning cases caused by clostridium botulinum on Apr. 25, 2024.
Based on the primary outcome of the health authorities’ investigation committee, the food establishment that the Riyadh Municipality didn’t name in its media statement issued on Friday evening, has had all its branches in Riyadh and Al-Kharj closed down and faces punitive fines,
The sum of the fines will be determined, once patients’ final medical results are out and investigations conclude, in compliance with the pertinent laws.
In Friday’s statement, the Municipality condemned the food establishment and confirmed that the facility’s main factory and all its branches remain shut down throughout the period specified by the applicable laws. [The statement did not specify the period of closure].
Meanwhile, all food products and items in the main laboratory and across the establishment’s branches will be terminated. The process of disinfecting all tools and devices at the branches and main laboratory will be supervised by the Municipality.
“We confirm the safety of food products for restaurants, kitchens, cafes and caterers in the Riyadh region, as no cases have been recorded from other than the aforementioned source,” concluded the statement.
Arab News reported earlier that the outbreak was linked to the consumption of food from the local Hamburgini fast-food restaurant chain, leading to many hospitalizations.
The Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly provided an update on his X account on Saturday, detailing the impact of the outbreak and the steps being taken to manage it.
“Six cases have fully recovered after receiving appropriate health care, and two have been safely discharged. However, 35 individuals remain hospitalized, with 28 of them in intensive care,” he said. The outbreak was first brought to light when Riyadh Municipality received a report of food poisoning cases linked to Hamburgini.
Health oversight teams initiated prompt action and launched an investigation as they monitored the situation.
On Apr. 26, Nawaf Al-Fozan, the founder and CEO of Hamburgini, uploaded an official video response to the restaurant’s Instagram page, confirming the chain is involved in the outbreak.