Gastrointestinal Outbreak Hospitalizes 17, Leaves Office in Chaos
In a disturbing incident, TikTok employees in Singapore were hit by a severe case of food poisoning, leading to 17 hospitalizations and widespread illness. The Singapore Food Agency and Ministry of Health confirmed the outbreak in a joint statement on Wednesday, attributing the illness to contaminated food served at the ByteDance office located at One Raffles Quay.
Widespread symptoms
The outbreak, which occurred on Tuesday, July 30, saw dozens of employees seeking outpatient treatment or self-medicating after consuming the tainted food. According to CNBC, the food was supplied by caterers Yun Hai Yao and Pu Tien Services, whose operations have since been suspended.
An employee, speaking anonymously to Central News Asia, described the chaotic scene: “Every single floor had people vomiting, which was quite gross. The toilets were all full and people were lying on the floor. The whole office smelled like vomit.”
The Singapore Civil Defense Force began receiving complaints from the office around 3 pm on Tuesday. A total of 130 employees were affected by the food poisoning, and 17 ambulances were dispatched to the ByteDance headquarters to provide medical assistance.
Company’s response
A ByteDance spokesperson said that the company is “investigating the matter and working with the relevant authorities.” The company has taken immediate steps to support affected employees, coordinating with emergency services to ensure care.
This incident has raised concerns about food safety and hygiene standards in corporate catering, prompting a thorough investigation by Singaporean authorities.