ILOILO – Twenty students of the West Visayas State University – College of Agriculture and Forestry (WVSU-CAF) in Barangay Jayobo, Lambunao town were believed to be victims of food poisoning.
According to Vice Mayor Arvin Losaria, the local government unit (LGU) of Lambunao received a call from the school on Wednesday morning about complaints of stomach pain, vomiting, and general malaise among students.
Medical doctors from the LGU and personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) proceeded to the school to assist the students and conduct an ocular inspection.
Of the 20 students, 11 were confined at the Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital in Lambunao, while the remaining nine were treated as outpatients.
As of Thursday morning, only six patients remained hospitalized.
Losaria told Panay News the LGU would be helping in the students’ hospital bills.
As of this writing, medical doctors were investigating the cause of the suspected food poisoning.
The LGU was also looking into the chocolate drinks consumed by the 20 students at the school cafeteria.
“We’re determining whether the cause is the water source or the preparation and handling of the product. Fortunately, the owner of the school cafeteria at WVSU-CAF is cooperating, and they are also conducting their own investigation,” added Losaria.
For its part, the Iloilo Provincial Health Office led by Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon sent the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) team to the school on Thursday to conduct an inquiry./PN
