Philippines: 26 downed by food poisoning in Isabela

FLORO C. TAGUINOD, GMANews.TV

07/31/2008

Source of Article: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/110559/26-downed-by-food-poisoning-in-Isabela

ILAGAN, Isabela - Twenty-six people were rushed to a hospital in Isabela’s western town of Roxas for food poisoning after attending a birthday celebration in a remote village in nearby Mallig town on Monday, it was learned on Thursday.

Staffers of the Roxas District Hospital said the victims ate a local delicacy called agar-agar or puk-puklo, a kind of seaweed that is commonly eaten raw and a favorite among people from far-flung areas.

Hospital staffers said the patients arrived in several batches at the hospital after experiencing nausea and vomiting. The symptoms were confirmed as the cause of eating the contaminated seaweed.

“The victims were all positive of food poisoning. We could clearly say that they were confined due to infectious diarrhea secondary to food poisoning," said Dr. Oscar Caballero of the Roxas District Hospital.

Baby Jane Paddad, one of the victims, said her entire family was affected. “We suffered severe stomach ache and loose bowel movement, making us very weak that we had to be brought to a hospital," she said.

Marife Malto, who prepared the salad, was also affected by the food poisoning. She said could not believe that the food she her prepared had caused the poisoning incident. She later said she noticed that one of the ingredients in the salad appeared to look dirty, which may have caused the contamination. - GMANews.TV

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