Yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Health issued a warning about the risk of botulinum poisoning in infants linked to the ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula product, which has been approved and is currently sold on several e-commerce platforms in Vietnam.
According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, as of November 19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded 31 infant botulism cases, both suspected and confirmed. They were fed ByHeart Whole Nutrition powdered infant formula before getting sick.
Botulinum poisoning is a rare but extremely dangerous disease that can be fatal if not detected and treated promptly. Common symptoms in infants include choking, difficulty feeding, constipation, drooping eyelids, muscle weakness, weak crying, reduced movement of arms and legs, and inability to lift the head.
Affected infants can present with some or all of the following signs and symptoms such as constipation, poor feeding, ptosis (drooping eyelid), sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered cry, generalized weakness, respiratory difficulty, and possibly respiratory arrest.
ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula is currently under voluntary recall.
The Ministry of Health advises parents and caregivers to stop using ByHeart formula immediately, monitor their child for symptoms of infant botulism, take the child to the nearest medical facility if any of the above symptoms appear. Finally, parents and caregivers should thoroughly clean all utensils and surfaces that have come into contact with the formula using hot soapy water or a dishwasher to prevent contamination.
