ILOILO CITY, (PNA) — The City Health Office (CHO) has intensified its inspection of all establishments serving milk tea products in this city after a Filipino-Chinese resident died and 57 others were hospitalized after drinking milk tea with egg pudding at a restaurant here.
The establishment was identified as Dakasi located at the Boardwalk area in Mandurriao district.
Dr. Urminico Baronda Jr., city health officer, said the CHO team led by Dr. Marigold Calsas is closely coordinating with Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe of the Department of Health Region 6 (DOH-6) in getting information on the whereabouts of the confined victims.
Baronda said although no case has been filed yet against the management of the restaurant, their investigation will continue to determine what exactly transpired and caused the food poisoning.
Baronda said he ordered the closure of the establishment on September 27 – a day after the incident.
He revealed that Dakasi, which is under the Tee Star Corp., and being managed by John John Uy has no sanitary permit, one of the requirements before securing a business permit.
The establishment started operating in February this year.
Calsas identified the casualty as Ben Jason Chang, 27, of Barangay Dulonan, Arevalo, who died at the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital after suffering dehydration.
The other victims were identified as two Taiwanese nationals, two British nationals, and three residents of Iloilo Province. The rest are residents of this city.
Calsas said the three victims from the province were treated at the provincial hospitals of Lambunao and Pototan.
Some of the 57 hospitalized were already discharged.
Based on their initial investigation, Calsas said the poisoning may have been caused by ingredients for milk tea especially those in powder form.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already taken samples of the milk tea for laboratory tests, she said.