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

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the