Negros feeding program: Milk downs 103 students
MANILA, Philippines — Up to 103 schoolchildren fell ill after drinking milk distributed during a school feeding program in Negros Oriental on Thursday.
Schools division superintendent Senen Paulin said 42 students remained confined in hospitals yesterday. The rest were discharged but are still under monitoring.
The students are from seven schools in the province.
Paulin said school officials are coordinating with the National Dairy Authority and the supplier of bottled milk to determine what caused the food poisoning.
“Our medical team is in coordination with the supplier of the milk. We are only the receiving party,” she said in a telephone interview.
Paulin said only a batch of milk delivered for the feeding program could have been contaminated or spoiled.
A report of the Negros Oriental police said the fresh milk bottles had no label or information about the supplier.
Diarrhea cases up
Meanwhile, acute gastroenteritis cases in Pangasinan increased by 97 percent from January to May 16.
The provincial health office epidemiology and surveillance unit recorded 2,170 cases with 13 deaths compared to 1,104 cases and five deaths during the same period last year.
Lingayen logged 137 cases; Umingan, 124; Malasiqui, 118; Mangaldan, 103; Binmaley, 93; Pozorrubio, 92; San Carlos City, 91; Alaminos City, 85, and Bolinao, 984.
The highest number of cases were recorded from April 1 to 30 with 588 followed by March with 578. – Eva Visperas
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