Food poisoning victims in Sta. Ana now 470

The number of students downed by an apparent food poisoning case in a Sta. Ana, Manila school over the weekend rose to 470 yesterday as health experts are eyeing contaminated water as the possible cause of the sickness.

The students, all of the Thomas Earnshaw Elementary School in Punta, Sta. Ana, fell ill reportedly after consuming egg sandwiches and drinks at the school canteen Friday.

The children started complaining of dizziness, stomach pain and headache on Saturday night. The following morning, many of them had fever and diarrhea.

Health experts from the Manila City Health Office have started collecting water and food samples from the school yesterday.

Thelma Santos, director of Department of Education – School Health and Nutrition Service (SHNC), said that there was a possibility that the school’s water supply was contaminated.

Santos noted that there were students who did not eat the sandwich but still fell ill. These students, however, had consumed the pineapple juice prepared in the canteen.

"But if it were because of contaminated water, those in the community should have also fallen ill. Nothing is conclusive yet. Further examinations will still be conducted by health experts," she added.

Thelma Navales, SHNC deputy chief, said school principal Ofelia Viray would face sanctions if it is determined that the food poisoning was caused by negligence.

"She is liable under the principle of ‘command responsibility.’ But we must observe due process. This is still being investigated," Navales said.

Santos said investigations are also not discounting the possibility that the egg sandwiches with mayonnaise spread also caused the food poisoning.

Apparently alarmed over the incident, about half of the school’s 1,500 students did not report to school yesterday. DepEd had shut down the school canteen yesterday pending the investigation.

But Santos called on parents to allow their children to report for school. "We urge them to make their children bring their own food and drinks. Normal classes must resume soon," she added.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit and Manila Mayor Lito Atineza ordered separate investigations of the incident.

"I have ordered our health agencies to find out what caused this and pinpoint responsibility. We want to make sure that it would never happen again," said Manila Mayor Lito Atienza. – Sheila Crisostomo, Cecille Suerte Felipe and Rainer Allan Ronda