21 food poisoned victims released from hospital

Twenty-one people who suffered food poisoning after eating an inshore poisonous fish, similar to mudskipper, in Leizhou city, Guangdong province, have been released from the hospital.

Liang Guoliang, director of the information office in Leizhou, said on Tuesday that only one patient, Zhong Min , remains hospitalized in stable condition.

Huang Jian , president of the No. 2 Hospital of Zhanjiang Bureau of Farms and Land Reclamation, said Zhong, 68, who has heart disease, will remain in the hospital for a couple of days for further observation and treatment.

A total of 22 villagers from three villages in Leizhou’s Yingli township were sent to the hospital with food poisoning last Thursday and Friday. All reported symptoms including headaches, vomiting, weakness and numbness in their lips, hands and feet after eating a fish that looks like a mudskipper.

Mudskipper is popular fish at restaurants.

Liang said relevant departments have urged locals to carefully inspect the fish before cooking them.