Three people had died and nine were hospitalized as of yesterday morning after eating millet dumplings that might have contained toxic pesticides.

Liu said he asked the family if it might have been food poisoning, but they said it was unlikely and suspected it was an age-related illness.

Six more people came to the Mackay Hospital branch throughout the night and two of them exhibited the same smell, causing doctors to suspect food poisoning, he said.

It appeared to be a neurotoxin, potentially an organophosphate used in pesticides or another type found naturally in plants, he said, adding that those affected had constricted pupils and were trembling, with body stiffness and secretions from the mouth and nose.

Investigators were focused on toxins and not infectious diseases because the symptoms manifested quicker than most pathogen’s incubation period.

One of the critically ill people showed symptoms consistent with poisoning by organophosphate or carbamic acid-based pesticides, including increased secretions, respiratory failure, slow heartbeat and loss of consciousness, he said.

The substances are frequently applied to protect Trichodesma calycosum plants, the leaves of which were used in the traditional millet dish, to kill snails or slugs, he said, adding that the victims had reported that the wrappings had a strange smell.

The possibility that cyanide had been used as a pesticide had not been ruled out.

Jimsonweed, a poisonous plant, had been inadvertently used as a wrapping for millet dumplings before, but no one had died from such incidents, he said, adding that the possibility of foul play has not been excluded.