DOH-7 cautions public from eating shellfish

RED TIDE ALERT

Coastal waters in Bohol, Leyte, Surigao del Sur and Palawan have been found positive of the red tide toxin.

The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) is currently on alert status after coastal waters in these areas were found positive of paralytic shellfish poison beyond the regulatory limit for human consumption.

Dr. Shelbay Blanco, Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) coordinator of DOH-7, said those who consume contaminated shellfish will experience vomiting and abdominal distress symptoms that may result to death.

Blanco said the red tide phenomenon is common during dry-hot temperature which usually falls during summer.

The alert status followed a bulletin released by the Health Emergency Management Bureau of DOH last April 6.

The bulletin said the coastal waters of Leyte and Carigara Bay in Leyte and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur are positive of red tide toxin.

The coastal waters of Biliran Province; Honda Bay of Puerto Princesa in Palawan; and Daus and Tagbilaran City in Bohol are also positive of paralytic shellfish poison based on laboratory results by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

To be safe from poisoning, BFAR Central Visayas Information Officer Alma Saavedra discouraged the public to refrain from consuming shellfish and alamang (krill or very small shrimps usually made into fermented paste) gathered from these areas.

“They should be a hundred percent sure that the shellfish that they are eating are caught in Cebu, or outside the red tide contaminated areas,” Saavedra said.

Saavedra revealed that Dauis and Tagbilaran have no commercial area which transports shellfish to other areas in the region.

“Cebu has no problem when it comes to gathering and eating shellfish, but still, we should always be cautious so we better refrain ourselves from eating them,” said Saavedra.

But Erwin Gok-ong, chairman of the Cebu Market Vendors Development Cooperative (Cemvedco), said seafood vendors at the Carbon market source their products from Leyte and Bohol.

Cemvedco is composed of members who are vendors and store owners at the Carbon Public Market, the oldest and largest public market in the city.

Gok-ong called for special meeting at 1 p.m. on Tuesday (April 10) to discuss the issue and how this will affect the seafood vendors.

As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday (April 10), shellfish such as tahong, halaan, saang from Leyte and Bohol were still being sold at the market.

Gok-ong said between 12 to 25 sacks of tahong from Leyte arrives at the Carbon market on a daily basis. The seafood comes from Leyte, although he did not specify from which particular town this seafood come from.

“The system is like this: the fisherfolks and those who gather the shellfish from Bohol sell their catch here in Carbon market. Restaurants and resorts buy here,” he said.

Gok-ong said there is an estimated 100 seafood vendors at the Carbon market. As of now, they are not worried about the DOH advisory and how this will affect business.

But just to be safe, Gok-ong called on government agencies to carry out preventive measures so contaminated shellfish will not reach the market.

“We call on BFAR to check on the shipment of shellfish and alamang from places which are contaminated. It is best if we contain the problem from the source,” Gok-ong told Cebu Daily News.

Saavedra of BFAR said they are now coordinating with the provincial fisheries office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Bohol to monitor the situation.

DOH-7 and BFAR-7 have not recorded any cases of shellfish poisoning in Cebu and Central Visayas.

Blanco of DOH advised the public to immediately see a doctor if they feel sick after eating shellfish because it could be contaminated with red tide toxin.

“Don’t just medicate yourself. Go to the nearest hospital for proper prescription and treatment,” Blanco said

According to the DOH bulletin, fish, squid and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly.
Internal organs such as gills and intestines should be removed before cooking.