Salted eggs down 78 in eastern towns
LINGAYEN—Beware of the red salted eggs that go with your fresh tomatoes!
The Department of Health (DOH) regional office has confirmed that the food poisoning reported in various towns in eastern Pangasinan that downed 78 persons last week was caused by salmonella bacteria traced to the contaminated salted eggs consumed by the victims over the same period.
This finding was based on the results of the examination on rectal swabs taken from the victims confined at the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital (EPDH) where most of the victims were taken for treatment.
However, the results of the laboratory tests on the salted eggs retrieved from the market undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are still not available at presstime.
Dr. Benito Arca, assistant regional director of the Department of Health said there is a need to pinpoint the source of the salted eggs and to determine who prepared them to prevent others from being victimized by the same source.
The victims experienced severe abdominal pains, diarrhea, frequent vomiting, fever and chilling few hours after they partook of the salted eggs that they bought from the town’s markets separately.
Initial investigation showed that the salted eggs being distributed in Eastern Pangasinan came from one supplier in Nueva Ecija but the identity of the supplier could not be ascertained at presstime.
Arca said the supplier can help confirm if the duck eggs that were used may have been contaminated from the very start if it has been proven that the preparations adopted complied with sanitary and health regulations.
Of the 78 patients listed, 39 were admitted at the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital and two at the privately-owned Family Hospital in Tayug.
The contaminated salted eggs were sold in Tayug, Sta. Maria, San Nicolas, Natividad, Rosales, Sto. Tomas and Villasis.
Meanwhile, authorities in the eastern towns have advised retailers of salted eggs in the markets to refrain from selling any of it till the results of the laboratory analysis on salted eggs are known.
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