MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Fish and other marine products are “generally safe to eat” except in Romblon province, especially in Sibuyan Island, where a “temporary ban” has been imposed due to possible toxic chemical contamination, the Department of Health (DoH) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced in a statement Thursday.

The ban was ordered after authorities discovered that the MV Princess of the Stars that capsized off Romblon during typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen) on June 21 was carrying, aside from the more than 800 passengers and crew, endosulfan, which was to be used by food conglomerate Del Monte Philippines for its products.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a press conference Thursday that water samples taken from the area of the sunken inter-island vessel had tested negative and that no fish kills had been reported.

But BFAR said it would continue to test fish samples from Romblon to determine whether they were safe for human consumption.

Endosulfan is highly toxic and can kill humans within hours after ingesting at least 0.8 milligrams/kilogram or one teaspoon of the pure compound, Duque said.

Endosulfan poisoning affects the central nervous system and manifests as headache, dizziness, tremors, and convulsions, Duque said.

Fish exposed to the chemical will accumulate the poison first in the liver before being transmitted to the flesh, the DoH said.

But Duque clarified that the ban only applied to Romblon and Sibuyan and not in other provinces where fishing was the main source of livelihood.

Romblon has been quarantined to prevent export of fish and marine products to other areas, BFAR said.

BFAR also said that fishes sold in Metro Manila which were hauled from Palawan were safe to eat.

Over 800 passengers and crew went down with the ship and hundreds of bodies have since been recovered in the area and in other provinces where the other fatalities have been carried by strong currents. More than 50 have survived the disaster, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

Authorities have decided to refloat the ship in the hope of recovering the chemical and more bodies that were trapped inside.