35 students and 2 staff report symptoms of gastroenteritis during school camp; MOH and SFA investigating

SINGAPORE — About 35 pupils and two staff from Catholic High School (Primary) reported symptoms of gastroenteritis during a school camp conducted from Aug 26 to 28.

The camp was held at the Ministry of Education's Labrador Outdoor Adventure Centre, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a joint statement on Aug 29, in response to queries from The Straits Times.

None of the staff or pupils was hospitalised, the statement said.

The camp for Primary 5 pupils was run by the school's appointed vendor, said a spokesman for Catholic High School (Primary) on Aug 29.

According to government procurement website GeBiz, the tender for this camp was awarded to a company known as Ventured.

Ventured is a member of the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Association, said Delane Lim, the organisation's secretary-general. Preliminary findings indicate that Ventured had engaged an SFA-approved catering vendor for the camp, he added.

"During the camp, some students and staff reported symptoms of gastroenteritis," said the school's spokesman.

All affected pupils and staff were closely monitored at the sickbay, and the school worked with the campsite office to clean and sanitise the premises, he added.

"A check was also conducted with the cohort immediately, and the school observed that the majority of the students remained well," said the spokesman, adding that the school arranged for another food vendor to provide subsequent meals as a precaution.

Of the affected pupils, some resumed camp activities after recovering at the sickbay, while others returned home.

Follow-up calls were made to check on their health status, the spokesman said, adding that the school also updated parents of the cohort on the situation via Parents Gateway, an app that enables parents to interact with schools.

As at Aug 29, the majority of the affected pupils and staff had recovered and returned to school, he said.

"The school is also working with the Ministry of Health and Singapore Food Agency to investigate the incident, and will continue to monitor the well-being of all students and staff."

MOH and SFA also said in their joint statement that they are investigating the incident.

Food safety is a joint responsibility, they said.

"While SFA puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food safety practises. SFA will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant food operators."

Lim added that there may be an "inherent risk" when students serve food to fellow campers.

"Even if students are wearing masks and gloves, if one is ill with a contagious disease or stomach flu, the risk of spreading illness through food remains high... However, it is important not to create a knee-jerk reaction to this aspect of camp culture, as it fosters responsibility and teamwork," he said.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.