Shakes down 176 students in QC school

At least 176 students from a school in Quezon City were taken to different hospitals after showing symptoms of food poisoning since Friday.

The victims, students of Sta. Lucia High School in Barangay Sta. Lucia, experienced stomach pains, headache and vomiting.

Ricky Arellano, officer at the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said yesterday the students showed signs of food poisoning after buying chocolate and fruit shakes from the school canteen on Friday.

“We began receiving reports of students being brought to different hospitals at past 5 p.m.,“Arellano said in a phone interview.

A report from the Fairview police station said the students are from Grades 7 to 9.

Fifty-one were brought to Far Eastern University Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation; 42 were rushed to Bernardino General Hospital; 41 to Novaliches District Hospital; 27 to Fairview General Hospital; five to East Avenue Medical Center; three to Quezon City General Hospital; one each to Pacific Global Hospital and Novaliches General Hospital and five to the school’s clinic.

Most of the students were discharged after receiving treatment.

“We have yet to receive new reports of students being taken to hospitals,“said Arellano.

The city health department is investigating the incident. School officials, meanwhile, have yet to issue a statement.