Twenty individuals in the province of Iloilo fell ill after eating a type of tuna locally known as “aloy” or “tulingan,” according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
Of the victims, six were from Passi City, three each from Dumangas, Banate, San Enrique and Balasan, and one each from Dueñas and Mina, data from PHO’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed.
The 20 were brought to separate health facilities after experiencing symptoms of food poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, rashes, dizziness, and difficulty in breathing.
Meanwhile, more than 50 people in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, suffered allergic reactions from consuming “aloy.”
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources–Negros Island Region (BFAR-NIR) said it is “closely monitoring recent reports of food poisoning cases” in the city.
“Our technical team is currently investigating the incident. Based on preliminary reports, the symptoms are consistent with scombroid fish poisoning,” it said in a public advisory on Wednesday, April 8.
The agency explained that scombroid fish poisoning is “not a naturally occurring toxin in the fish itself, but it happens when the fish is not properly kept chilled from the time it is caught until it reaches the market.”
“When fish like aloy or tulingan are left in the heat, they produce high levels of histamine, which cannot be removed even by cooking or frying,” it said.IMT
