Approximately 60 TikTok employees in Singapore headquarters were struck by food poisoning, with the majority (57 people) requiring hospitalization. Emergency responders sent 17 ambulances to transport the sick workers to local hospitals. 

TIKTOK parent company, ByteDance, has launched an internal investigation into the incident.

An aide for ByteDance said, “We take the health and safety of our workers very seriously and have taken immediate steps to assist all affected employees. We are investigating the incident and are collaborating with the relevant authorities.”

Previously reported to involve 41 people, the number of those affected has since been updated to 60.

As a safety measure, ByteDance has temporarily closed its office cafeteria. The company is collaborating with local health officials and food suppliers to uncover the source of the food poisoning outbreak. The Singapore Food Agency and the Ministry of Health are also conducting their own investigations into the matter.

The agencies jointly stated that ensuring food safety is a shared responsibility. They emphasised that while the food safety agency, FSA, enforces regulations, food businesses must also strictly follow food safety standards.

According to journalists, some employees were initially confused about the emergency, with one person believing it to be a possible fire.

This incident comes on the heels of another large-scale food poisoning outbreak in Singapore earlier this week. Over 165 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel fell ill, although none required hospital treatment.