A serious food poisoning incident has affected employees at TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, in Singapore. The outbreak has led to the hospitalization of 60 staff members at the company’s Singapore office.
Incident Overview
On Tuesday, 60 employees exhibited symptoms of gastroenteritis, resulting in 57 individuals receiving hospital treatment. The Singaporean authorities, including health and food safety officials, are currently investigating the cause of this outbreak.
Investigation and Response
ByteDance, which operates TikTok, has announced it is actively investigating the source of the illness. The company clarified that it does not prepare or cook food on-site but relies on third-party caterers for meal services. Seventeen ambulances were dispatched to the ByteDance office in Singapore’s central business district to assist the affected staff.
Company and Government Actions
A ByteDance spokesperson emphasized the company's commitment to employee health and safety, stating, “We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously and have taken immediate steps to support all affected employees, including working with emergency services to provide care.” The company is collaborating with relevant authorities to resolve the issue.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, has urged food operators to adhere strictly to food safety practices. The SFA has warned that it will enforce penalties against any operators found violating food safety regulations.
About ByteDance and TikTok
ByteDance, founded in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneurs, initially gained prominence with the short video app Douyin in China. The company launched TikTok, an international version of Douyin, a year later. TikTok, which is not available in China, boasts over a billion active users globally. It operates under a limited liability company based in Singapore and Los Angeles but remains owned by ByteDance.
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