The Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong confirmed here Monday that 10 women were sickened during a food poisoning accident a Sham Shui Po restaurant in Kowloon District.

A spokesman for the Center for Health Protection said the center was still investigating the case, which involved 10 women who fell sick last week after consuming take-away food from a restaurant and homemade food.

The patients, aged 26 to 55, developed stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever from about five to 56 hours after having the food around noon on Sept. 7, according to the center.

The spokesman said the patients' symptoms were generally mild as none required hospitalization.

Initial investigations by the center showed bacteria could be the likely cause of the outbreak. Further investigation is still under way.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2006)