BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO – A 17-year-old grade 11 female student died while nine other students and two teachers of Pili National High School in Ajuy town were taken to the hospital due to food poisoning.
“Nagluto ini sila sang manok nga may buko juice and may napatay kuno nga isa tungod sa severe dehydration,” Ajuy mayor Jett Rojas told Panay News.
The fatality was identified as Ricky Ann Bacacao.
“Ining napatay wala kuno ina kakaon pero nakainom sang butong. So, basi daan bala ang butong,” said Rojas, citing information from the Ajuy Municipal Health Office.
It was learned that the students had a program at school on Friday, Nov. 4, and they had a boodle fight.
Some of them, including the two teachers, were rushed to the Sara District Hospital on Saturday, Nov. 5, after they felt dizzy and experienced diarrhea.
Meanwhile, according to Ricky Ann’s mother, Elma Bacacao, her daughter took part in the school boodle fight and drank three glasses of buko juice on Friday. The next day, Nov. 5, she experienced lose bowel movement, collapsed and was brought to the Sara District Hospital.
“Pagka-Sabado naglain na iya pamatyag. Nag-CR na siya and bag-o magpanyapon sa gab-i nag-CR pa gid ni siya kag pagkatapos nagkadto sa lababo mag-inom tubi. Nakita namon nagahapaon na siya kay nalipong siya. Gindala dayon siya namon sa hospital sa Sara,” Mrs. Bacacao said in an interview with Zarraga News Live Station yesterday.
The mother added that her daughter was released from the hospital also on Saturday because her condition improved.
On Sunday, she said, although her daughter did not complain of stomachache she was still too weak to get up from bed.
At around 6 a.m. her daughter experienced difficulty of breathing and they rushed her to a hospital in Barotac Viejo town where she was declared “dead on arrival”, the mother added.
As of this writing, the Ajuy Municipal Health Office was still gathering more information and investigating the cause of the said incident.
The Department of Health (DOH regularly reminds the public to observe food preparation safety guidelines. These include wearing of food-grade gloves, hair net, mouth covers; hand and utensil washing or sterilization; use of fresh produce; and avoiding the mixing of cooked and uncooked products.
Food must also be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, it added.
“For any symptoms such as stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever after consumption of a meal, please consult the nearest clinic or hospital,” the DOH said./PN
