2 dead, 9 hospitalized from puffer fish poisoning in Quezon

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—Two children died and nine other persons were hospitalized in the island-town of Jomalig, Quezon, on Wednesday after eating toxic puffer fish for lunch, a police spokesman said Thursday.

Chief Inspector Elmar Beltran Sillador, head of the Quezon police public information office, identified the fatalities as  Noriel Roldan, 2, and his elder sister Julie Ann, 3.

Citing a police field report, Sillador said the two victims and nine other members of their family, all residents of Barangay (village) Apad ate “kinunot na butete” (a local puffer fish dish) as viand for lunch.

The victims were rushed by their neighbors to the town health center but the two children died while being treated by local health authorities.

Despite its being toxic, puffer fish, properly rid of its poisonous substance, is popular among coastal villagers.

The toxin found in puffer fish is tetrodotoxin, one of the deadliest poisons found in nature, according to the website eMedicine Health.