A Malaysian restaurant chain, Polam Kopitiam, located in Taiwan, has been implicated in a tragic food poisoning incident resulting in the deaths of four individuals. Taiwanese Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang, as reported by the Taipei Times, confirmed the latest fatality, a 40-year-old woman, who succumbed to multiple organ failure on Monday. This news follows another death reported on Saturday, April 27, also attributed to multiple organ failure.

The most recent victim, as detailed by the New Straits Times, had consumed kuey teow at the Xinyi branch of the restaurant chain in Taipei in mid-March. Subsequently, upon returning home, she experienced symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Despite being admitted to intensive care for over a month, her condition worsened, prompting her family to cease emergency treatment.

Aside from the 40-year-old woman, an additional 34 individuals fell ill after dining at the restaurant between March 18 and 24, with three requiring intensive care. The outbreak is suspected to have stemmed from bongkrek acid contamination in the food served.

As of now, one of the two patients still in intensive care has undergone liver transplant surgery, while the other continues to receive treatment in the unit.

On March 29, the owner of Polam Kopitiam issued a public apology for the food poisoning outbreak at his establishment. As reported by Focus Taiwan, although he did not address the press directly following questioning by prosecutors, he expressed remorse by bowing twice in front of several Taiwanese media outlets. His lawyer stated that the owner has fully cooperated with the investigation and is prohibited from leaving the country.