The incident reportedly occurred at The Seletar Mall branch, where 12 relatives had gathered to celebrate the family’s grandaunt’s 80th birthday on Oct. 11.

The woman’s brother, a 36-year-old man surnamed Wang, told Shin Min Daily News that four family members: his uncle, father, younger brother and younger sister, suffered stomach pain and repeated diarrhea shortly after returning home. He said they were the only ones who ate from the restaurant’s fruit plate, leading the family to suspect it was the cause.

Wang said his sister’s condition was the most serious. She experienced continuous diarrhea overnight and fainted from dehydration the next morning. She was taken by ambulance to hospital, where she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and placed on an IV drip. She was discharged later that day, but took around three days to fully recover. The family said her medical bills came to several hundred dollars.

The other three affected relatives reportedly experienced milder symptoms.

Wang said he contacted Haidilao through email and the company website but did not initially receive a response, so he filed a report with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

“We’re not asking for compensation, but for an explanation,” he said, adding that food poisoning cases should be taken seriously.

In a response to Shin Mina Haidilao spokesperson said the restaurant had reached out to the family to offer support and would cooperate with investigations. Wang later confirmed that Haidilao apologized and promised to cover his sister’s medical expenses.

SFA told Mothership it received feedback on the suspected gastroenteritis case involving four diners. An inspection at the outlet did not uncover any food safety lapses, and staff were observed following proper hygiene practices. The agency also reminded customers that when dining at hotpot restaurants, undercooked food and cross-contamination between raw and cooked ingredients can increase the risk of foodborne illness.