Authorities in Queensland’s south-east are collaborating to determine the origins of a suspected rat poison contamination, as a group of patients recuperates after ingesting brodifacoum, a key ingredient found in rat bait.

Tim Nicholls, the Queensland Health Minister, confirmed that the number of affected cases remains at five. He mentioned that the individuals, including one child, belong to three separate families who have no prior connection to one another.

“All five individuals are receiving appropriate care, and they are currently at home, recovering well,” Nicholls reassured the public.

It’s important to understand that rat poison works by depleting vitamin K levels in the body, which in turn impairs the blood’s ability to clot.

Rat poison reduces vitamin K in the body, which reduces the body’s ability to clot blood.

Initially it was suspected the patients may have ingested the chemical through contaminated products served at a fast food outlet.

However, today Nicholls cast doubt over the suggestion that a single fast food restaurant is to blame and confirmed police would assist health authorities trace the source of the poisoning.

Queensland Health opened an investigation after five people presented to different hospitals in the metro south region, including Logan and Princess Alexandra, over the course of a week.

Despite police involvement, chief health officer Dr Catherine McDougall said the incident has not been deemed as suspicious.

“We want to make sure that we’re actually exploring all options,” McDougall said.

“Police will do work and we’ll do health work.”

“There has been a cluster of cases identified in the Metro South Head region of positive brodifacoum detection in patients,” McDougall said in the note.

McDougall asked staff to “be alert to the possibility of brodifacoum poisoning in patients who present with bleeding-related symptoms and coagulopathy that cannot otherwise be explained”.