SINGAPORE: The health ministry is investigating the potential cause of food poisoning at CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh), after about 200 students developed gastrointestinal symptoms.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it was notified on Thursday (Jul 19) "of an incident of food poisoning" at the school. As of Jul 20, about 200 students had developed gastrointestinal symptoms, it added.



"Investigations are ongoing to determine the potential source of this incident," MOH said in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia.

Gastrointestinal symptoms may include abdominal pains, diarrhoea and nausea.

None of the affected students was hospitalised and most of them have returned to school, said the school's principal, Mrs Karen Tay, in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia.

"The school is monitoring the situation and working with the relevant government agencies to ascertain the cause of the symptoms," she said.



As a precautionary measure, the classrooms of the affected students and toilets at the school's premises have been cleaned and disinfected, Mrs Tay added.

In April, Nanyang Girls' High School suspended its boarding school experience programme after about 110 students fell ill with diarrhoea and stomach aches.

The students were staying at Nanyang Girls’ Boarding School as part of a four-week programme for the Secondary 2 cohort to learn how to live independently.

In January, 14 students at Northland Secondary School in Yishun were taken to hospital after suffering from vomiting and stomach pains.