LUCENA CITY -- Local health authorities have advised residents to temporarily stop eating green mussels, locally known as "tahong," after one person died and 13 others were confined in a hospital here due to "paralytic shellfish poisoning."

Dr. Vicente Martinez, assistant city health officer, said they were advised by Escolastica Dinapo, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Fish Resources Management Division Southern Tagalog chief, to consider the recent death of a Badjao child and the hospital confinement of 13 other victims as cases of shellfish poisoning.

"Heeding her advice, the local government has temporarily banned the selling of mussels in the local markets. What we want to impart to the public is to temporarily refrain from eating shellfish as a safety measure," Martinez said.

He said BFAR personnel had been conducting tests on all available mussel specimens, not only from the city, but also from neighboring municipalities to determine the source of the shellfish suspected of being contaminated with red tide.

Since Tuesday until Friday morning, 13 persons, including seven Badjao natives, were admitted to the Quezon Medical Center after eating green mussels.

The victims all complained of severe stomach pains and vomiting.

"From all the reports and facts that we gathered, [the Badjao child] also died from paralytic shell fish poisoning," he said.

"With the symptoms, we suspected that red tide was the culprit," Martinez said over the phone.

Citing a report from local BFAR office, Martinez said the mussels could have originated from Sorsogon where a shellfish ban had been imposed by the government.

"There's no local mussel culture industry in Lucena and neighboring towns," he said.

City health workers lamented that QMC medical staff members were not able to inform their office as soon as the first victim was admitted Tuesday morning.

"We could have acted at once and took samples of the shell specimen," said one local health worker.

Local media reporters tried to interview the victims but were prevented by QMC security guards and nursing staff members, acting on the order of the hospital administrator.

Lucena Mayor Ramon Talaga Jr. immediately ordered the police and local market administrator to stop the selling of mussels in public and private markets.