Education Bureau advised schools to avoid raw and cold food, seafood after more than 100 students came down with gastroenteritis on exchange tours
Hong Kong education authorities have advised students to avoid high-risk foods on study tours in mainland China. Photo: Shutterstock Hong Kong education officials have recommended that schools stop serving higher-risk foods during mainland China study trips.
The advice followed various incidents in which more than 100 students and teachers fell ill with gastroenteritis while on study tours. Gastroenteritis is an illness that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting.
“Schools should avoid providing higher-risk food such as raw and cold food, siu mei and shellfish seafood when organising student exchange activities on the mainland,” a notice on an online platform said.
The notice was posted on the “Passing on the Torch” platform for government-run education exchange programmes.
It also mentioned that the Education Bureau had asked trip contractors to stop providing certain foods.
Education Minister Christine Choi Yuk-lin said the bureau is taking the outbreak seriously.
They held a special meeting with representatives from different organising parties, asking them to take the steps needed to keep pupils safe.
Choi urged schools to prioritise student safety during exchange tours and implement preventive health measures.
Staff writers