Mass hysteria in Asturias, Cebu: 10 students affected

CEBU CITY, Philippines- A mass hysteria incident was responded to by the Asturias Emergency Response Operation (AERO) after 10 female students from a university in this northeastern Cebu town became hysterical, shouting and hyperventilating at around 10 a.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024.

Christian Conejo, LDRRMO III of Asturias, said the students from the Cebu Technological University (CTU) Asturias were immediately rushed to the Asturias Infirmary.

“Gikan sa klase, naa silay activity, unya kalit lang naay ingon ana. Ilang sintomas kay kusgan sila, dayon nag hyper-ventilate, ang ilang pagginhawa paspas, dayon naa silay mga syagit-syagit nga lahi ba, dili nato normal nga madungog,” Conejo said.

Seven of the students were treated at the infirmary, while three were taken by their parents to a faith healer.

Conejo explained that the symptoms initially appeared in one student who was on the second floor of the school’s temporary building at the regional evacuation center in town. CTU is still in the process of constructing a permanent building for its students.

However, when other students saw her, they began experiencing similar symptoms.

“Maong siya pod nga nakakita, naa pod siyay reaksyon. Mura pod siya ug mosuon mao nga magkanit-kanit, modaghan,” he added.

One student reportedly said, “Ang kahoy giputol unya ipauli.”

This led some to speculate that the students might have been possessed by evil spirits. Conejo acknowledged that some trees were indeed cut down during the construction of the facility.

The students were brought to a church, but the parish priest was not available at that time.

After calming down, the seven students treated at the infirmary were discharged in the afternoon.

The school also suspended classes following the incident.

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