Child dies, 700 others poisoned by shawarma in Jordan

A five- year-old boy died and over 700 others were struck with food poisoning after consuming cut-price shawarma from a restaurant in Baqa’a district, northwest of the Jordanian capital Amman.

The Jordanian Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that 100 people were admitted to hospitals complaining of food poisoning.

Later, Jordan’s Health Minister Saad Jaber said 826 people had been hospitalised with food poisoning. “So far, 321 people are still in hospitals, all in a stable condition apart from four cases who are in intensive care. All those affected said they had eaten meals from the same restaurant,” he added.

Local media said the restaurant had offered the meals at one dinars ($1.4), half the regular price leading to the high customer turn out.

The Jordanian Health Ministry said lab tests showed a bacterium in the meat and poultry used to make the sandwiches.

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