The City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) conducted laboratory tests on samples of tahong from the Municipality of Villareal, Samar, and results indicated that the samples have tested positive of the PSP.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Shellfish that tested positive with PSP is not safe for human consumption.
Dr. Ma. Corazon Sepulveda, Officer-in-Charge of the CVO, said in an interview with the Madayaw Program over the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) that personnel from the CVO’s Red Tide Monitoring laboratory immediately confiscated the green mussels being sold in the city’s public markets.
“Pagkatapos po nilang nalaman yung result, agad-agad po nila’ng kinomfiscate ang mga tahong sa ating mga public market, ” she said.
Around 911 kilograms of tahong were confiscated from the Bankerohan Public Market, Panacan Private Market, Tibungco Larayan, Matina Aplaya, Toril Public Market, Calinan Public Market, and Mintal Public Market.
Sepulveda bared that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) already released an advisory through Shellfish Bulletin No. 19, Series of 2024 on August 8, 2024 regarding areas with shellfishes that tested positive for PSP.
Following the bulletin, shellfishes from Domanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, coastal waters of San Benito in Surigao del Norte, Daram Island, Zumarraga Island and Cambatutay Bay in Samar, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, Cancabato Bay in Leyte, coastal waters in Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay Province, and Irong Bay and Villareal Bay in Samar were collected and were found to be positive of PSP.
All types of shellfish and alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption.
Early symptoms of shellfish poisoning include the tingling of the lips and tongue which may begin within minutes or a couple of hours after eating the contaminated shellfish. This is followed by tingling in the fingertips and toes, and might progress to the loss of control of arms and legs, followed by difficulty in breathing.
Sepulveda said that the city’s main source for tahong is the province of Samar. She, however, assured the public that fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption as long as they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.
She added that there are still shellfish in the city’s public markets that are sourced from other provinces not affected by the red tide.
The CVO continues to monitor the situation in coordination with the BFAR. Personnel from the CVO’s red tide also already informed personnels from the Municipality of Villareal that the mussels delivered in the city tested positive of PSP. (CIO)
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