At least 24 persons including 10 children were brought to a hospital reportedly after they ate spoiled macaroni during a birthday celebration in Argao town, some 66.9 kilometers south of Cebu City.
The victims started to arrive in Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital on Thursday night, with more coming in Friday and Saturday.
Only 20 were admitted at the hospital including the birthday celebrant, Rosalia Enriquez, as of Saturday while four other victims were given medicine and allowed to go home.
Liezel Enriquez-Gubaton, Rosalia’s daughter, admitted preparing the food on Wednesday for the 53rd birthday celebration of Rosalia, in sitio Canohoy, Bulasa, Argao.
The following day, she said, her younger siblings and nephews started to complain of stomach ache with loose bowel movement (LBM).
Gubaton said her younger brother Vincent Enriquez, 21, was the first to be brought to the hospital on Thursday.
“We brought him to the hospital after he became weak due to stomach pains and LBM,” Gubaton said in Cebuano.
Her mother, Rosalia, was also brought to the hospital on Friday evening. She was still very weak, and has developed fever at the hospital.
“My stomach still aches”, Rosalia said in Cebuano.
Catsup
Gubaton said she suspected it was the catsup she bought from the market as the cause of the food poisoning.
Dr. Francis Kim Capate, a doctor at the Isidro Kintanar Memorial Hospital, said they can’t yet release their findings on the cause of the food poisoning.
But Capate said the victims experienced stomach ache, LBM, vomiting and some have developed fever.
Capate said the victims blamed the macaroni as the cause of the food
poisoning.
Capate said it could be because of the unsanitary food preparation or because of the ingredients used in preparing the dish.
“It’s possible that the ingredients used in preparing the dish, and when it was prepared should be closely looked into,” he said in Cebuano.
Chemical reaction
It could also be because of the chemical reaction when the food was placed in the refrigerator.
Personnel of the towns ’rural health unit already got samples of the food and ingredients used.
Dr. Capate said the hospital will also forward stool samples for laboratory analysis.
Capate assured that all of the victims are in stable condition.
Aside from Rosalia and Vincent, the other victims based on hospital records included Rose Ann, 24; Greg Andrei Enriquez, 6; Alfranz Miguel Enriquez, 5; Charles Ivan Lipon, 1 year old; James Lorenz Gomera, 2; Angelo Bercide, 4; Ayezah Bercide, 5; Jocelyn Bercide 23; and John Clinton Parba, 4.