Only 12 remain in hospital after food poisoning incident in Sulu – PH Army

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27) — Twelve students remain hospitalized after a food poisoning incident affected a hundred people at an event for Boy and Girl Scouts in Sulu over the weekend.

"As of this date, 88 patients were already discharged and were brought back to their families while 12 students are still admitted in Sanitarium Hospital. The remaining patients are on stable condition and will be under observation but will be expected to be discharged within the day," the Philippine Army said Monday.

According to the Army's statement, attendees of the 35th Joint Boys Scout and Girls Scout of the Philippines Institutional Camp were served ginataan by soldiers from the 8th Field Artillery Battalion (8FAB), Army Artillery Regiment on Feb. 25.

A hundred attendees — 78 students and 22 adults — then experienced nausea, stomach ache, and fainting after eating the food.

Those affected were immediately brought to various hospitals to receive proper care. Troops from the 1103rd Infantry Brigade and 8FAB monitored the status of the patients.

The Army said samples of the food were sent to the Integrated Provincial Health Office on the same day for tests. However the IPHO wants to send them to Zamboanga City for further tests.

The Army added it would continue to take care of the needs of the affected patients, as well as continue to determine what caused the incident.