30 People Experienced Mass Vomiting, but "No Problem with the Food"... Into the Mystery?

Unknown Cause of 'Mass Vomiting' at Bucheon Restaurant
No Food Poisoning Bacteria Detected in Specimen Tests

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At a restaurant in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, customers showed symptoms of mass vomiting, prompting health authorities to conduct specimen tests, but no issues were found with the food.

On the afternoon of the 6th, a total of 30 customers, including middle-aged women eating lunch specials such as Vietnamese spring rolls and beef shabu-shabu, exhibited vomiting symptoms at the restaurant. The fire department transported the remaining customers directly to the hospital for treatment, except for those who chose to visit the hospital on their own.

According to Yonhap News on the 18th, after the city requested an inspection of the restaurant, no food poisoning bacteria were detected. The Gyeonggi-do Institute of Health and Environment tested 30 types of specimens, including drinking water, cooking water, rice noodles, shabu-shabu meat, knives, cutting boards, and dishcloths, and all test items, including pathogenic E. coli, norovirus, and Salmonella, returned negative results, leading to a suitability judgment.

A Bucheon city official stated, "Since there were no significant findings in the specimen tests, it is highly likely to be classified as an unknown cause," adding, "It is difficult to definitively determine the exact reason why customers showed mass vomiting symptoms." The city plans to comprehensively consider the epidemiological investigation results of each customer requested by the health center to the province and review whether administrative measures are necessary.