SINGAPORE, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean authorities have confirmed 187 cases of gastroenteritis following the distribution of ready-to-eat meals as part of a Total Defense exercise in February.
Among the cases, 184 were from schools, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Tuesday in response to parliamentary questions, adding that all affected individuals have recovered.
During the parliamentary session, lawmakers raised questions about the cause of the symptoms, the microbiological and shelf-life studies of the product testing, the processes in place to vet suppliers of ready-to-eat meals for government programs, and whether any penalties would be imposed on SATS, the food solutions provider.
Fu said that tests conducted by the Singapore Food Agency on collected meal samples did not detect any food-borne pathogens. She added that both the agency and the Ministry of Health are conducting a comprehensive investigation, and necessary enforcement actions will be taken if any lapses are detected.
The food-poisoning incident first came to light at the School of the Arts, where 20 students developed symptoms of gastroenteritis after consuming the ready-to-eat meals. These meals were distributed between Feb. 15 and Feb. 28 as part of Singapore's 2025 Exercise SG Ready, a national preparedness exercise.
In addition to schools, aging facilities also received the meals.
A total of 150,000 meals were planned for distribution in the exercise, which "focuses on strengthening Singaporeans' preparedness for power disruptions caused by cyberattacks." ■
