PHILIPSBURG:--- The Food Safety division of the Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Development and Labor is informing the following.
On Friday, November 7th, 2014 most part of Sint Maarten got flooded due to torrential rainfall. The rain water combined with sewage water, and pond water, and dead animals, including fish, flooded many food establishments where food is being prepared and served a/o sold. This water is by no account clean and is dangerous because it contains many dangerous microbes like bacteria, amoeba, viruses, worms, toxoplasmosis that can cause acute and chronic diseases when they have been ingested. Obviously the chance of food getting contaminated where this dirty water is present is extremely high.
The Food Safety Department of the Inspectorate Public Health, Social Development and Labor considers these situations extremely dangerous for preparing, serving and/or selling food or drinks. The Inspectorate is therefore urging all those that are preparing, serving or selling food or drinks in these conditions to immediately stop with this practice until all the contaminated water has been completely eliminated through drainage or pumping out of the establishment. Furthermore the establishment, especially the food preparation area must be properly disinfected before resuming any food preparation. All food preparation areas must be properly shielded from insects and rodents. It is strongly recommended to secure your property in such a way that this will prevent water from entering as much as possible.
The Inspectorate will be on the lookout for places where food preparation is taking place under these conditions and will act accordingly.
Press Release from Inspectorate of the Ministry of VSA
