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The 73 people who were affected by food poisoning after eating at a restaurant in Huairou district Friday are in stable condition, Ma Yanming, director of the press office of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Health, told the Global Times on Sunday. Nine of those most severely affected, including a 2-year-old boy and a 29-year-old pregnant woman, are being treated at Chaoyang Hospital. The boy is in the intensive care unit after being rushed to the hospital on Saturday, and his parents are also receiving treatment at the same hospital. However, there are concerns that the pregnant woman surnamed Ma could lose her baby. Doctors have advised her to have an abortion, according to qianlong.com. They said that although the ultrasound examination didn't find anything abnormal with the baby, it's difficult to determine whether its development will be affected. These people were all tourists from Beijing and other provinces. They suffered nausea and vomiting after having lunch at the restaurant at Shuian Shanba, a popular holiday resort in the outskirts of Huairou district. Six members of the restaurant's staff also fell ill.
Xinhua said clonidine was found in the blood of those affected. A doctor surnamed Li at the Beijing Center of Occupational Diseases and Poison Control of Chaoyang Hospital said clonidine is a drug used to treat high blood pressure, and he also said that it is only available in pharmacies with a doctor's prescription. Li added that the total daily dosage should not exceed 2.4 mg, or it could cause poisoning. Zi Xiangdong, the director of the press office of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, told the Global Times that the police had sealed the restaurant, and an investigation has been launched by the Beijing Criminal Investigation Department, the Forensic Services Department and the Huairou district police station. Zi said it is still unclear whether the food poisoning was intentional. Staff members of the restaurant are prohibited from leaving the restaurant and the local water resources are under investigation, according to the Beijing News. And an investigation into the food safety at nearby restaurants has also been launched. It is not clear who will pay the medical costs. "The most important thing for now is that all the sick should be treated," said Ma Yanming. "As for the treatment fees, we can only wait for the results of the investigation. And I'm sure that those who should take responsibility for this accident will pay for the medical treatment as well."