70 Staff Members of Health Department Reportedly Got Sick After Having a Party

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Holidays is the most awaited celebration each year while people are enjoying and satisfied themselves from the menu's set on a table. But it seems others were having a bad digestion and become unwell.

New Mexican reports said that workers who attended the holiday party felt a stomach ache and get sick. According to Washington Post, 200 employees attended the event and 75 of them are having gastrointestinal issues after going in a catered lunch at Harold Runnels Building in Sta. FE.

The said joyous party turned out into a tragic one because of the improper handling of the food. Yet, Investigator suspected some contaminated food but could not identify which one of the specific menus, said by Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher in her email.

Lynn Gallagher believed of bacillus cereus or clostridium perfringens are the main reason of the indisposition of the staff members. While Epidemiologists waited for the results of laboratory test, according to Santa Fe New Mexican.

Bacillus cereus was a beta hemolytic bacterium that is normally the source of food poisoning in the country because of their weather. U.S Department of Health and Human Services advises consumer if the hot food was stored for more than two hours, it should be store over 140 degrees and cold food must keep at 40 degrees or below.

Spokesman Paul Rhein stated that the occasion was catered by a local business however he did not give any significance of the said food handler. Meanwhile, Gallagher gives an assurance to take an action and will teach food businesses the proper way of managing food and to stop the complication in future.

Health Secretary Lynn was responsible for investigating the outbreak of foodborne illness. Nowadays, the consumer must be aware of the food they intake as well as the handlers to avoid any hassle to anyone even if there's responsible for this matter.