Cassava kills 30 kids in Bohol

Thirty elementary school children died of food poisoning yesterday after eating a native delicacy made from cassava flour at the San Jose Elementary School in Mabini town, Bohol.

San Jose Vice Mayor Ester Tabigi said authorities had not yet determined exactly how many children had fallen ill, but at least 50 were still in critical condition last night in various hospitals in the nearby towns of Ubay and Talibon. Some children were brought as far as the provincial capital of Tagbilaran City, some 100 kilometers from Mabini.

Reports said the children, mostly second and third-grade pupils, started complaining of stomach pains and dizziness right after eating the cassava cake, known locally as maruya, during the morning recess at around 10:30.

"At 12 noon, teachers started to send victims to hospitals for treatment. Unfortunately, many of them failed to make it," said Philip Puderanan, public information officer of the Bohol Municipal Hall.

Senior Superintendent Sancho Bernales, chief of the Bohol police, said the children were taken to different hospitals in the province for medical treatment.

Military trucks reportedly helped bring the children to hospitals, the nearest of which was 20 to 30 kilometers away in Ubay town.

Of the 19 children taken to the Lita Cotamora Clinic in Ubay, 14 died and five were transferred to the nearby government-owned Don Emilio del Valle Hospital, where 20 other victims were confined. There were also two deaths reported at the Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran.

Doctors who attended to the victims said food poisoning was the cause of death.

Sketchy reports said at least two women were responsible for selling the cassava cakes to the San Jose school children. One was identified as Aning Luyong, 60, who reportedly regularly sold snacks at the school. Luyong was said to have eaten the rest of the cassava cakes after the children fell ill and is now also in critical condition.

Another vendor, a 68-year-old woman, is reportedly now under the custody of Mabini town Mayor Stephen Rances.

"Kung puwedeng humingi kami ng tulong at mapa-imbestigahan ang pagkamatay ng mga bata. Kailangan namin ang mga experts para matulungan kami (We are appealing for help in investigating the cause of death of the children. We need experts)," Rances said yesterday.

Bohol Vice Gov. Julius Cesar Herrera said provincial health authorities in Tagbilaran will conduct further investigation to determine the victims’ exact cause of death.

The Department of Health has also sent medical experts to Mabini yesterday to investigate the incident. Tapped to conduct the probe were disease experts from the DOH’s Regional Service Unit in Bohol.

"The hospitals have enough manpower and supply to handle this. We are coordinating with our people in the field," Dr. Yolando Oliveros, head executive assistant of Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, said.

Meanwhile, Bohol native George Evardo, a radio reporter, said cassava, known locally as balanghoy, should be cooked properly, especially during the hot season, as the wrong process can lead to bacterial poisoning. – With reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Shiela Crisostomo, AFP