"Buriring" downs nine in Moalboal

CEBU, Philippines - Nine people including four children landed in the hospital after eating puffer fish locally known as “Butete” or “Buriring” in Barangay Basdiot, Moalboal yesterday dawn.

Petra Tapales, 73, Leonardo Dopio, 45, and his wife Josefina, 34, and their three children Leo, 6; Jennilyn, 3; Jeoffrey, 2; Nolan Cabaron, 34, and his wife Mary Jean, 34, and their daughter Jennilyn, 7, were rushed to the Badian District Hospital after showing signs of poisoning.

The victims experienced dizziness and vomiting at 3:15 a.m. yesterday prompting their neighbors to bring them to the hospital.

Senior Police Officer 1 Pariel Gaudencio of the Moalboal Police Station said that five adult victims were admitted while the four children were under observation, although all of them were already declared out of danger.

Gaudencio said that a barangay tanod informed the police station about the incident prompting them to respond. Based on their investigation, the victims shared for dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday the puffer fish cooked by Josefina. The fish were given to them by their neighbor fishermen.

According to Gaudencio, the victims were aware of the toxins contained in the fish but they were confident to eat it because they were already used to cooking “buriring” in the past.

Puffer fish is known to be a toxic fish variety that can poison a person who will eat it if it is not properly cleaned, cut, and cooked.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said “butete” is highly poisonous and its toxins are fatal. In fact, a single puffer fish has enough poison to kill 30 adult humans.

It contains tetrodotoxin, which is deadlier than cyanide based on a study in the United States.

Puffer fish is generally believed to be the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world after the Golden Poison Frog. — (FREEMAN)