A Canberra restaurant was shut down after nearly two dozen people reported becoming ill, and one was hospitalised, after eating food from the business.
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Turkish Pide House on Lawry Place in Macquarie closed on October 12.
ACT Health said they received reports of 22 people from six separate groups becoming ill before or on Monday, October 9.
They ranged in age from 10 to more than 80-years-old.
"Symptoms varied and included diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, fever and abdominal pain. One person was hospitalised," an ACT Health spokesperson said.
A man, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Canberra Times he was left hospitalised after eating at the restaurant on October 5.
He said he ate a mixed grill lamb and chicken kebab cutlet and kofta with vegetables, rice and salad.
The man, in his 50s, said he and his partner were unwell for two days, but he left for an outback trip in Wagga Wagga on October 7.
He said he become increasingly ill while driving and ended up simultaneously defecating and vomiting uncontrollably on the side of the road.
He was shaking uncontrollably and losing consciousness, could not walk and collapsed.
Medical notes seen by The Canberra Times confirm he was admitted to the Wagga Wagga emergency department, and hospitalised with a temperature of more than 38.5C. He was diagnosed with gastroenteritis.
Metadata of a supplied image of the man in hospital with a wet cloth on his head confirms it was taken on October 7 at 7.28pm.
The man said it took him two weeks to recover.
The man said when he entered the Turkish restaurant on October 5, he saw unrefrigerated raw meat on skewers stored in the open next to a hot grill.
He said he also saw a staff member mixing salad leaves in a styrofoam box with her bare, ungloved arm.
"No gloves, no one [was wearing] anything like that there," the man said.
ACT Health said they inspected the business on October 12 and found a number of breaches of the Food Act 2001.
They issued a prohibition order to the business.
"The business must remain closed until the prohibition order has been complied with and the business has passed a further inspection by ACT Health. As at 28 November 2023, the prohibition order remains in effect," ACT Health said.
According to a social media post, the restaurant had only just re-opened following a fire. The Canberra Times understands the fire happened in November 2022.
Salmonella was detected at two different Canberra kebab shops last year.
Dickson restaurant The Copa Brazilian Churrasco closed soon after opening in 2018 after people reported becoming ill from a salmonella outbreak caused by bad aioli.
While 161 people became ill, the restaurant was found not guilty of mass poisoning.
Lanie Tindale
I am City reporter at The Canberra Times. I previously covered health for the masthead, and was a trainee before that. I have written on courts, federal politics, breaking news, features and opinion. lanie.tindale@canberratimes.com.au.
I am City reporter at The Canberra Times. I previously covered health for the masthead, and was a trainee before that. I have written on courts, federal politics, breaking news, features and opinion. lanie.tindale@canberratimes.com.au.
