Janet Silvera, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
It is still a mystery as to what could have caused over 20 Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) staffers in Montego Bay to be rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) after they complained of headache and vomiting.
The staff members, stationed at the fast food giant's new outlet at the Fairview Shopping Centre in Bogue, and who worked the night shift on Friday were treated and observed at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the CRH, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.
"When we realised all the staff were complaining of the same symptoms, we decided to close early and take them to the hospital," KFC's Area Manager, Cassie Shields, told The Sunday Gleaner. He said he is still not sure what could have affected all the members on his night shift, but officers from the Public Health Department were investigating the incident.
A source at the Cornwall Regional Hospital told The Sunday Gleaner that when the KFC representatives arrived there, some looked extremely droopy and were vomiting. "Two of them were very ill and had to be put on drip (intravenous fluids), while the others were treated, kept in the emergency room for a few hours, then sent home," said the source.
The possibility that the staff could have inhaled something foreign through the air vents in the store is one of the areas being investigated by the Public Health Department, the newspaper was told.
When The Sunday Gleaner visited the KFC on Saturday morning the doors were closed so that the Public Health inspectors could conduct their investigations. It was not until 12:40 p.m., that the doors were reopened to the public.
"We were given permission to open up for business after careful inspection of the store," says Mr. Shields. "The Public Health Officers said it was okay and they are coming back later today to do further checks."
At press time, The Sunday Gleaner was unable to get a comment from the investigating officers, who we were told had also gone to the nearby Jamaica Public Service plant to check if gas could have escaped from there resulting in the illness experienced by the KFC staffers.
