Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Bad pork kills 8 in Kampong Thom

Bad pork kills 8 in Kampong Thom

Authorities distribute compensation to families of people who died from food poisoning after consuming illegally poached wild pork last week in Kampong Thom province.
Authorities distribute compensation to families of people who died from food poisoning after consuming illegally poached wild pork last week in Kampong Thom province. Photo supplied

Bad pork kills 8 in Kampong Thom

Eight people in Kampong Thom province’s Sandan district, including an Environment Ministry ranger, have died after eating allegedly illegally poached wild pork meat, while over a dozen more were hospitalised, officials said yesterday.

Health Ministry spokesman Ly Sovann said the Trichinella spiralis parasite, which is transmitted by eating raw or undercooked meat and causes trichinosis, killed eight people, and left 20 others ill, 12 of whom are currently at Preah Ket Mealea Hospital in Phnom Penh.

According to the provincial Health Department director, Srey Sin, those affected – in Meanrith and Sandan communes – were not eating the meat together, and it is unclear whether the meat came from the same pig. The first deaths were reported on September 7, while the last death occurred on September 21.

Sin said his department works on educating people in food hygiene and water sanitation. “We do not have the laboratory to do tests, so the Ministry of Health sent a team,” he said.

Nuon Seila, deputy district police chief, confirmed an Environment Ministry official was among the dead. “Those pigs are wild pigs; it is prohibited” to kill and eat them, he said.

Chea Sam Arng, director of the Environment Ministry’s General Administration Department of Natural Conservation and Protection, said consequences for killing and eating the pigs depend on the protection status of the species.

“We are not sure if the wild pig he ate is a prohibited one because there are types of wild pigs that the villagers can raise,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Tensions high ahead of historic Kun Khmer match up

    The long-awaited November 5 matchup between Kun Khmer legend Prum Samnang and Myanmar-Canadian boxer Dave Leduc has become the most anticipated fight of the year. The Wurkz Sena Kun Khmer promotion, which will be held at the Town Arena at Chip Mong 271 Megamall, will see six

  • Manet: Cambodia safe for travel

    Prime Minister Hun Manet acknowledged that Cambodia and China have cooperated to tackle internet scamming, fraud and other cross border crimes, but insisted that the “Kingdom of Wonders” is completely peaceful and safe. He welcomed tourists to come and explore its rich heritage. During a

  • Kep selected for ‘world-class’ 2.7km beach development

    Kep province has been selected as the first site of a new coastal development initiative, with a “world-class” 2.7km beach planned for the near future. The Kep Provincial Administration met with the National Committee for Coastal Management and Development to discuss the development of the

  • UNESCO formally list Battambang gastronomy

    Battambang, renowned for its cultural heritage, has achieved a significant milestone as the first Cambodian municipality to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The UCCN unites nearly 300 cities prioritising creativity and cultural industries in local development plans and international cooperation. On World Cities Day,

  • Cambodia pivots to solar, wind energy

    Cambodia is planning a move towards solar and wind energy to meet its rising power demands, according to Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak. On the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week event held recently, Rottanak emphasised the urgency of diversifying Cambodia’s

  • Angkor causeway symbol of Cambodia-Japan ties

    In a historic moment marking another milestone in the 70-year-long diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Japan, King Norodom Sihamoni celebrated the formal inauguration of a causeway located to the west of the world-renowned Angkor Wat. While presiding over the November 4 ceremony, the King emphasised the