Yet another case of food poisoning

COTABATO CITY (PNA) — A Sunday family outing turned into "nightmare" when 12 persons, including three children, fell ill and were hospitalized after partaking of macaroni salad and grilled fish in Maguindanao.

Alice Upi, one of the victims, said their group had just partook of the lunch they brought for their Sunday outing when, suddenly, every one complained of stomach ache while some vomited and rushed to the comfort room after contracting diarrhea.

“It happened so fast, it did not take long after we had our lunch that almost all complained of stomach pain,” Upi added.

More than 12 persons are now confined at the Cotabato Sanitarium in Barangay Pinaring, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Upi said other family members also complained of abdominal pain but were not hospitalized.

Dr. Halima Mokamad Romancap, attending physician, said the victims all complained of the same affliction and initial findings showed signs that “they were victims of food poisoning.”

She said they all ate grilled fish and macaroni salad before they started complaining of pain.

She said laboratory tests of the victims’ stool samples showed they traces of amoeba.

“Everybody was happy, took our lunch together and went back to the water,” Upi recalled. “Then suddenly, everybody was complaining.”

Shukra Adam was in tears when she said six of the victims were her children, three of whom even developed fever after the incident.

Adam could not say whether the grilled fish or the macaroni salad was the source of the food poisoning.

“We quickly disposed of the food as we were all rushed to the hospital,” she added.