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Monday, March 09, 2005
29 pupils in Bohol died of food poisoning (8:00 p.m.)
A TOTAL of 29 pupils from San Jose Elementary school in Mabini, Bohol, died of food poisoning Wednesday, ABS-CBN reported.
The report said more than 100 students ate sweetened cassava and ice candy and complained of stomachache later.
Fourteen students rushed to the Cutamora clinic were declared dead, 13 in another hospital were also declared dead while two others admitted in Tagbilaran were also pronounced dead.
Health officials said 50 pupils are in critical condition and are admitted in various hospitals in the province of Bohol.
School authorities pointed to a certain Anna Luyong as the one selling the sweetened cassava but the latter is also in critical condition. She ate the food after being blamed for the poisoning.
Dr. Troy Gepte of the National Epidemiology Center in Manila said in a television interview that based on their interviews with the local doctors, the children could have died of cyanide poisoning.
Gepte said they are now sending doctors and supplies to Bohol to investigate the real cause of the massive poisoning.
He said cyanide is produced by the digestive system after eating raw cassava.
Cassava is a widely grown root crop, which accumulates two cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin. Linamarin accounts for more than 80 percent of the cassava cyanogenic glucosides.
Linamarin is present in all parts of the cassava plant and more concentrated on the root and leaves. All cassava plant species are known to contain cyanide.
Gepte said they are coordinating with botany experts and toxicologists to prepare an anti-dote and avert more deaths. (Sunnex)
| Post your experiences to the Sun.Star Graduation section. Click here. | 2005-02-24 04:52:02
mcalvo - My graduation was unforgettable to me and to my classmates. I was so drunk the night before graduation. During the ceremony i dozed to the point of snooring even when i was already standing i was half sleeping. Our dean has to call my name twice and the person behind me has to push me just to wake me up... graduations are memorable...enjoy and congratulations to all graduates!
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(March 10, 2005 issue)
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