DUMAGUETE CITY – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Negros Oriental has initially found contaminated water sources as the possible cause of food poisoning at a party in Santa Catalina town last October 4.
Dr. Liland Estacion, IPHO chief, on Monday morning, however, said such finding was not conclusive yet and that they are still continuing their investigation on the incident that led to the death of a three-year-old girl and hospitalization of scores of others.
“Personally lang, dili ko mutuo pagka karon nga ang contaminated nga tubig ang nakaingon kay dili man tanan ang niinom adto nga tubig nga gikan sa tulo ka water sources (Personally, I don’t believe as yet that it was the contaminated water that had caused the symptoms because not all had drank the water from the three different sources),” Estacion said.
She was referring to two “unimproved” or open springs and one “improved” or “box-type” open spring from which drinking water was drawn and served to the patients during a party they had attended.
Of the 31 patients, who were rushed to the hospital in Bayawan City and the Rural Health Unit centers for treatment of diarrhea and vomiting, the last ones were discharged on Sunday, Oct. 14, Estacion said.
The patients and the lone fatality identified as Ivy Gantalao, were among the estimated 40 people who attended the party in Sitio Tingkolong in Barangay Obat, Santa Catalina town, about 94 kilometers south of this capital.
The eight others in the same party who may have also come down with similar symptoms were not officially monitored because they could have just managed the symptoms at home, the IPHO chief said.
During the party, the food served to the visitors included pancit, maja blanca (a delicacy), “halang halang manok” (chicken cooked in coconut milk) and “nilubihang cassava” (cassava cooked in coconut milk), Estacion said.
She said they are not ruling out cassava as the potential cause of food poisoning because there are certain varieties that could be toxic.
Based on an initial investigation report by the IPHO, the food was prepared at 5 a.m. and served at 12 noon for lunch on that day.
Some of the patients were diagnosed with amoebiasis with moderate to severe dehydration while others were found to have acute gastroenteritis, Estacion said.
She added that further laboratory tests on the sources of drinking water are still being done until now, but it might take about a week for the results to come out as “the medium is still being groomed”. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
