The San Francisco Public Health Department is blaming herbal tea purchased in Chinatown for the poisoning of two people, reports KRON.
The tea contained a lethal poison known as Aconite.
Both victims are hospitalized in critical condition.
Both became ill within an hour of drinking the tea.
“Each quickly developed weakness, and then life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, requiring resuscitation and intensive hospital care,” the health department said in a statement. “A plant-based toxin, Aconite, was found in lab tests of the patients and the tea samples they provided.”
Symptoms include numbness, weakness in the limbs, a slow or fast heart beat, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
The tea was purchased at Sun Wing Wo Trading Company, located at 1105 Grant Avenue in San Francisco. Anyone who purchased the tea should return it immediately. Anyone experiencing any of the symptoms after drinking the tea should seek medical help right away.
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RE: Herbal tea bought in San Francisco Chinatown poisons two people: What kind of herbal tea? The company that sold this particular tea to the two people undoubtedly sell many kinds of herbal teas. Is there a brand? A “flavor” or herbal purpose for the tea? Was it custom prescribed for the two people? Were they separate incidences? The article says “anyone who purchased it should return it immediately” — what is “it”?
This article is in danger of cultural insensitivity in the nuances of cultural herbal products and uses, and makes herbal teas sold in Chinatown seem like a general scare and/or mystery. It also essentially implicitly blackballs the retailer rather than clarify the product to be aware of. A little more informed reportage would help make the article much mored useful to the public and fairer to the genre of cultural herbal products.
RE: Rene’s comments on herbal tea bought in SF Chinatown poisons two people: The recommendation from the SF Dept of Public Health is any herbal tea purchased from the store named in the story should not be consumed. If you have consumed the tea and experience any of the symptoms, you are urged to seek medical help. https://twitter.com/SF_DPH/status/840389643778498560
RE: Herbal Tea Bought in San Francisco Chinatown Poisons Two People: It’s really depressing. Be alert everyone and keep looking for symptoms.