Food poisoning hits 100 Davao students

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – More than 100 students of the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) were admitted in several hospitals on Sunday, July 29, after being poisoned by spoiled food.

Jeremy S. Eliab, ADDU assistant to the president, said what was intended to be a gathering attended by student leaders had to be disrupted after lunch break.

“It was cut short due to the poisoning symptoms experienced by some students,” Eliab said. Among those brought to the hospital was university president Fr Joel Tabora, SJ. 

Eliab said Tabora is in “stable” condition and is fast recovering at the Davao Doctor’s Hospital.

One of the participants said she experienced stomach discomfort after eating lunch served by a caterer outsourced by the school.

“I was in the hospital earlier (6 pm) but I was discharged already. But I’m still under observation because I’m starting to vomit,” third-year-college student Farrah Galang, one of the participants, said.

Galang said they were served a packed lunch which consisted of “adobong manok with boiled egg, bihon, fish fillet, rice and fruit/buko salad” around 12:30 in the afternoon.

The leadership forum was organized for all student club and organization officers in ADDU, said Galang.

Eliab said MTC Rebosura, the event’s caterer, is responsible for the incident.

The school has not yet made a final count of those who were affected by the poisoning, but said most of the students were sent to San Pedro Hospital, Davao Doctor’s Hospital, and Davao Medical School Foundation Hospital. – Rappler.com