By Jan Carlo Anolin
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has called on the people who attended the event at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City Wednesday to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms of food poisoning persist.
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
The reminder came following the suspected case of mass food poisoning that affected at least 261 individuals who attended the 90th birthday celebration of former First Lady Imelda Marcos in Pasig.
READ MORE: Food poisoning downs 231 in Pasig celebration of Imelda Marcos’ 90th birthday
According to the Department of Health (DOH), this is after consuming a packed lunch of chicken adobo, hard-boiled egg, and rice served during the event.
READ MORE: Eggs served during Imelda’s birthday may be behind food poisoning
DOH cited symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, weakness, fever, and chills.
Initials reports said 60 people were rushed to different hospitals in the area and cases went up drastically the next few hours.
The victims were admitted to different hospitals within the Mandaluyong-Pasig-Marikina area – 100 patients at Medical City, 43 at Rizal Medical Center, 23 at Victor Potenciano Hospital, 40 at Pasig City General Hospital, 20 at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, 20 at Tri-City Medical Center, five at Mandaluyong Medical Center, four at Ospital ng Makati, and six at Amang Rodriguez Medical Center.
The DOH chief assured that all hospitals are well-equipped to manage and treat all cases.
The admitted patients will also be placed under 48-hour hydration to ensure full recovery, he added.