25 Davao folk have high levels of mercury

DAVAO CITY — At least 25 people from three towns in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley reportedly have high levels of mercury in their blood and are now undergoing detoxification, the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) said.

The patients, who hail from the towns of Tagum, Monkayo and Pantukan, were exposed to mercury used in mining operations at Mt. Diwalwal and in the processing of gold ore at ballmills.

The DOH said the patients will undergo detoxification and other tests at the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City until the weekend.

Sources said even DOH employees exposed to mercury were also found to have high levels of the toxic substance in their blood.

The condition of the 25 patients were confirmed in a series of tests done last month.

The DOH believes that more people at the gold mining sites could be suffering from mercury poisoning but have not come forward to undergo blood tests. — Edith Regalado