Raw-fish: Why long gap between health advisory and sales ban?

I refer to the report “Bacteria outbreak: Stalls told to stop selling Chinese-style raw-fish dishes” (Nov 28).

In July this year, the Ministry of Health said there had not been any proven link between eating fish, raw or otherwise, and infection by Group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteria (“MOH investigating increase in Group B streptococcus infections”; July 13, online).

Now, it is stopping food stalls from selling Chinese-style raw-fish dishes and telling people not to eat such food after its investigations found a definite link between eating these dishes and the GBS infection, which can cause permanent disability and even death in severe cases.

Is this not a bit late, even if the National Environment Agency had issued an advisory later in July to ask food stalls to temporarily stop the sale of raw-fish dishes made from Song fish and Toman fish?