Hundreds of students in hospitals over ‘food poisoning’ in Laguna

MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – More than 400 students were rushed to different hospitals in Calamba City in Laguna on Friday, July 24, after they experienced “food poisoning.” 

About 438 students from Real Elementary School were brought to different hospitals in Calamba, Laguna. Calamba Medical Center (CMC) admitted the most number of students. 

Initial reports said the children – aged 5 to 12 years old – ate iced candy and cupcakes given by a company that sponsored a lecture in the school. In a statement, Calamba Mayor Justin Chipeco named the company as AMS-Asian Inc.

Calamba Vice Mayor Roseller Rizal said none of the students were in serious condition.

“Kaya dumami [mga pasyente kasi] pumunta yung napakain kahit walang nararamdaman – pinapunta na rin sa hospital (The number of patients are high because all students who ate the food were instructed to go to the hospital even if they did not getl sick),” he said in a radio dzBB interview.  

At past midnight Saturday, July 25, Chipeco said only 37 students are still in the hospitals. 

“Sa kabutihang-palad ang mga naiwan na mag-aaral ay ligtas na sa peligro, bagkos ang findings ng doctor ang iba sa mga mag-aaral ay mayroong UTI at pneumonia kaya naiwan pa sa hospital,” he said in a statement.

(Thankfully, students who are still in the hospitals are already safe from danger, although according to doctor’s findings, some of them have UTI and pneumonia which is why they had to stay in the hospital.)

Both the city police and the city health office received reports of “food poisoning” in the Calamba school past 1 pm Friday. 

According to Jamille Plastina, administration aide from the city health office, an initial 24 students were reported to have experienced vomiting. At least 6 sanitation officers were sent by the office to look into the matter. 

More recently, students in a Quezon City school were also brought to a hospital after experiencing vomiting and stomachache following their consumption of macapuno candies. – Jee Y. Geronimo/Rappler.com