The Department of Education (DepEd) is investigating a case of suspected food poisoning at a public elementary school in Negros Oriental after some 100 students experienced illnesses including nausea and dehydration.
“Based on the field report, the majority of the affected learners experienced mild illnesses, including dehydration and nausea. They were treated in nearby hospitals and were discharged later on,” DepEd said.
The culprit? Allegedly contaminated fresh milk that was distributed to schools within the area under a feeding program.
The education bureau said in a statement that the agency is coordinating with the National Dairy Authority, the local government, and other concerned agencies for the investigation. They have also begun analyzing milk samples, the department said.
DepEd said that it would continue monitoring the students’ health conditions and assured that measures would be initiated to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
