Hong Kong probes suspected food poisoning as 11 tourists fall ill

On Tuesday afternoon, the police received a report indicating that 11 individuals had fallen ill in the To Kwa Wan residential area. The affected tourists were subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to the South China Morning Post.

The tourists were part of two tour groups consisting of 61 people visiting Hong Kong. According to police reports, the individuals experienced symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever after having lunch and dinner at two different restaurants on Monday.

Health authorities have since inspected the restaurant where they dined for dinner, collecting samples for laboratory testing. The restaurant has been ordered to suspend operations and conduct thorough cleaning to improve food preparation practices.

Food safety officers will also inspect the restaurant where the tourists had lunch.

According to Hong Kong authority's portal, the tour groups arrived in Hong Kong on Monday, having lunch at one restaurant in To Kwa Wan and dinner at another eatery in the same area later that day.

The restaurant involved has stated that it did not serve lobster, which some media outlets had speculated was the source of the food poisoning.