In this day an age, it isn’t unthinkable that we can buy anything and everything we need and want from around the world in just a few clicks. Whether it be household groceries to special delicacies that can’t be found on local store shelves, it can all be purchased online before being delivered right to our doorsteps.
Tragically for one elderly couple, their most recent online purchase would result in catastrophic consequences.
M’sian couple suffer from poisoning after consuming pufferfish
As reported by local newspaper The Star, an 83-year-old woman and her 84-year-old husband had ordered a puffer fish, otherwise known as ikan buntal, from social media and collected it on Saturday (March 25th, 2023) morning. According to Johor health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, they proceeded to clean and cook the fish to be served for lunch at around 3.00pm.
However not long after consuming the delicacy, the woman began suffering from symptoms of puffer fish poisoning, such as shivering and breathing difficulties. Her husband began experiencing the same symptoms an hour later. For those not in the know, almost all species of pufferfish contain a neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin, which they use as a means of protection from predators.
According to the American Centre for Disease Control (CDC), tetrodotoxin poisoning interferes with the transmission of signals through the nerves to the muscles. It typically occurs in humans due to the improper preparation of pufferfish for consumption, and due to its heat-stable nature, cooking pufferfish does not render it nullified. What’s more, no known antidote for tetrodotoxin exists.
Wife passes away, husband in intensive care
Upon discovering his parents in a state of medical emergency, the couple’s son rushed them to Hospital Enche’ Hajjah Kalsom’s emergency unit to receive medical treatment. Sadly, the woman succumbed to the effects of poisoning at 7.00pm.
Her husband on the other hand, still remains warded in intensive care. It was said that this was the couple’s very first time having puffer fish, and that the delicacy originated from a fisherman in Endau, Mersing, which was later processed in Batu Pahat by a distributor prior to it being delivered to a seller in the same district.
The seller had sold 15 kilos of the fish to four other customers, including in Chamek, Paloh and one in Yong Peng on the same day. None of the other customers have consumed the fish yet, and samples have been obtained by the local Health Department for analysis.
Members of the public have been warned to be careful when consuming foods with known risks.
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