-
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 17 Sept) – Eighteen construction workers were downed by suspected food poisoning after they ate barracuda fish for breakfast and lunch Tuesday.
Gilbert delos Santos, one of the hospitalized construction workers, said Wednesday the Barracuda fish they ate was bought from a hook-and-line fisherman who just arrived from fishing.
Delos Santos and five others remained under medication at the Labuan District Hospital (LDH) as of Wednesday while the rest have already gone home.
Dr. Eunice Salasap, the attending physician, said the workers were diagnosed for gastroenteritis due to suspected food poisoning or having eaten contaminated food.
Delos Santos, who cooked the fish, said he chopped the fish and cooked the head and innards for breakfast while the remaining parts were cooked for lunch.
They were rushed to the Labuan District Hospital at 4 p.m. Tuesday after they started experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, stomach cramps and vomiting one after the other.
The construction workers were working on a project at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport (Zamboecozone) in Barangay Talisayan here.