Eighty-four workers were hospitalized after they ate contaminated food at a construction site in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, a health official confirmed Friday.

By press time, 66 workers were in stable condition and 18 others were still under medical observation.

Yang Zhi, head of the Wuchang District Health Bureau, said all these workers worked at the construction site of the Century Garden in Wuchang District. The project manager had held a dinner party for 293 workers Wednesday evening to celebrate the imminent May Day holiday.

Some of the workers reported vomiting and diarrhea early Thursday morning and 84 workers were sent to a local hospital around dusk of the day.

Yang, the health official, said local diseases control center had ruled out the possibility of the food being contaminated by toxic chemicals and concluded the workers were infected by bacteria. Yang said the dining hall at the construction site does not have refrigerators to keep pork fresh and safe.

Wuchang District Health Bureau ordered the dining hall at the construction site, which went into operation without a sanitation permit in March, to suspend business for rectification and official inspections.

Luo Changgang, Party secretary of Wuchang District, ordered thorough inspections of all dining halls in the district's construction sites. Those that do not meet sanitation requirements have to be closed, Luo said.

Source: Xinhua