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The number of those affected by the food poisoning outbreak in the CARAGA region has risen to almost 2,000, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
CARAGA, which is designated as Region 13, is composed of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands; six cities: Butuan City, Cabadbaran, Surigao, Tandag, Bislig, and Bayugan; 67 municipalities; and 1,311 barangays.
Speaking on dzMM on Sun, Jul 12, morning, DOH-CARAGA Regional Director Dr. Jose Llacuna said a total of 1,909 cases affected by the food poisoning in the region have been recorded, based on data gathered at 11pm, Sat, Jul 11.
Out of the 1,909 cases, only 111 remain confined in hospitals. Their common complaints include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and headaches.
Despite this, Llacuna said they are no longer expecting more cases following the apprehension of nine men and women who supposedly sold the durian candies to the children.
“We are waiting for developments but the trend is we are getting lesser cases kasi the patients were already discharged,” he said.
Llacuna said there were also no reported deaths or serious complications after the children fell ill.
As of writing, police are still investigating whether the sweets were expired or were deliberately laced with poison.
“The suspects had a plan to sell only to school children. They went around nine towns the whole day selling candies,” Surigao del Sur governor Johnny Pimentel said.
The group denied to police that they meant to poison the children, he added.
Pimentel said police are still trying to establish why the group travelled some 300 kilometers from their home province to sell the sweets.
The southeastern region is the country’s main producer of durian and the foul-smelling fruit is transformed into a myriad of food products including confectionery, ice cream and coffee.
Poor enforcement of food safety regulations has been blamed for past cases of food poisoning in the Philippines. —with reports from Agence France-Presse (AFP)
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
