50 Pangasinan studes taken to hospital, poisoning eyed

SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan, Philippines — At least 50 elementary school students were taken to a hospital here on Thursday due to suspected food poisoning, a health official here said.
Policarpio Manuel, director of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital here, said the children and their parents started arriving at the hospital at about 10 a.m., Thursday.
“They were weak and complaining of stomach pains,” said Manuel in a telephone interview.
He said the children, all students of Guelew Elementary School in Barangay Guelew here, chewed gums bought from a store near the school.
Anna Maria Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, said doctors were checking if the children had taken other foodstuff before they complained of stomach pain.