The 31 employees of National Bookstore at the Alabang Town Center who fell victim to food poisoning after eating the same food during meeting were declared safe and sent home by their attending physician at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa.
The food poisoning victims were rushed to the hospital at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday after partaking of dinner consisting of ground beef with eggs.
Some of the victims were given intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration while others with mild cases were provided with oral medication to prevent further infection.
Three of the employees who were in more serious conditions were identified as Jay Olaez, 17, of 1470 Castino Compound, Almanza, Las Piñas; Cherlyn Paz, 26, of 88 Aquarium St., Aristocrat Village, also in Las Piñas; and Ordarico Cabillo, 33, a security guard residing at 103 Benedictor St., Talon 5, Las Piñas.
The three, however, were also released yesterday morning along with the other victims.
The hospital administrator, Dr. Angelita Camacho, said the 31 may have fallen ill from the contamination that could have originated from the way the food was prepared and the utensils used in handling it.
It was learned that the bookstore administration held a late meeting with the employees at the store. One of the staff members prepared food for dinner composed of ground beef with eggs.
However, some of the employees who earlier ate the same food did not get poisoned while those who ate at a later time were the ones who succumbed to infection.
In a related development, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi reiterated his directive to school principals and administrators to instruct their canteen concessionaires to take extra precautions and sanitary practices in the preparation of their food being sold to the students.
