Two children, aged five and one, from barangay Camoboan in Tabogon town were brought to the district hospital in Sogod due to vomiting and diarrhea.
Dr. Mario Joyag, Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO) assistant head, said the children were severely dehydrated when they were brought to the Sogod District Hospital Wednesday morning.
Based on the report Joyag received from the hospital management, the children ate imported canned tuna for dinner with their father.
Relatives suspect that the children ate expired food because the label on the cans indicated “June 2015” as the expiry date.
They also believe that it was a case of food poisoning.
However, Joyag said it is difficult to prove that it was indeed a case of food poisoning.
He explained that the children’s father, who had eaten the same canned tuna, did not show the same symptoms.
Joyag added it might just be a simple case of acute gastroenteritis or stomach flu.
Stool samples were also taken from the children yesterday.
Sogod District Hospital Chief Nurse Filipinas Lago said that the children’s laboratory examination results showed that they are fine.
Gastroenteritis, according to Dr. Joyag, may be caused by poor hygiene.
It may also be caused by bacteria in contaminated water and food, or meals that were not cooked properly.