Cooked food downs more than 200 Laguna evacuees

Laguna , Philippines  – More than 200 people in an evacuation center in San Pedro town here were rushed to different hospitals due to food poisoning after consuming cooked food served by a religious group Monday night, a health official said.

Dr. Jaime Baron, San Pedro municipal health officer, said at least 212 people, including children and the elderly, were rushed to the Amante Hospital in San Pedro, San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Jose P. Rizal Hospital in Calamba City and Ospital ng Muntinlupa at around 9 p.m. Monday.

Police, for their part, placed the figure of affected evacuees at 253, including 160 minors.

Baron said the evacuees experienced vomiting, stomach pains, dizziness and loose bowel movement after consuming rice, chicken adobo and boiled eggs served at the evacuation center at the Sioland building in Barangay Poblacion.

Investigator PO1 Randy Jubiar said the food came from the feeding program of the Christian Baptist Church, one of the religious groups helping the families displaced by tropical storm “Ondoy” last Sept. 26.

Baron said the evacuees were immediately given rehydrating solutions and antibiotics to prevent further complications.

Baron said they were only able to accommodate 40 of the sick patients due to limited facilities and had to rush the others to nearby hospitals.

“We collected samples of the food that they ate for laboratory testing at the Bureau of Food and Drugs,” he said.

As of press time, only 20 of the evacuees had been discharged after receiving medication from the different hospitals.       – With Ed Amoroso