Red tide in Samar; 6-yr-old boy dies, 45 others treated

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines —A six year-old boy died while 45 others were hospitalized after eating "tahong" (mussel) harvested from Irong-Irong Bay in Samar province, but was later found to be positive of the red tide toxin.

The boy, after having his breakfast with mussels bought from a market, first suffered severe stomach pain, but died of dehydration later on while being treated at the Samar Provincial Hospital in Catbalogan City.

Officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-8 reported that 33 of the 45 victims who are now confined at the SPH are residents of the island-towns of Zumaraga and Daram. Four other victims from Pinabacdao town, four from Catbalogan City and three more from Tarangnan town were all taken to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City.

The death of the boy due to red tide poisoning had alarmed the BFAR-8, which in turn asked again the local government units to help in disseminating information on and enforcement of the shellfish ban around the seawaters of Samar.

Early last month, BFAR-8 already put Irong-Irong Bay on the red tide watch after results of laboratory analysis on samples taken from there showed that red tide toxins were already beyond the regulatory limit.

"The public is warned that all types of shellfish taken from Irong-Irong Bay are not safe for human consumption," a BFAR-8 official added.

Irong-Irong Bay along Catbalogan City and Pinabacdao town in Samar has been a major source of mussels in the region, most products of which have been shipped to Metro Manila.

As of today, BFAR-8 has been monitoring Irong-Irong Bay and other coastal areas in Eastern Visayas, including Mantarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, and Maqueda Bay, also in Samar. The waters off Carigara town in Leyte was also found positive of red tide toxin, while those in Leyte town of Leyte and Biliran province-island are now put on the red tide watch. (FREEMAN)