The Department of Education (DepEd) will be keeping a close eye on the food which will be served to the 12,000 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) delegates who will be in Bohol for a week-long meet which starts Saturday.
This is after over 30 student-athletes who participated in another regional sports event in the Davao Region were rushed to a hospital due to alleged food poisoning last weekend, said Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Wilfreda Bongalos.
Bongalos told dyRD Balita Thursday that health authorities will be deployed to closely keep track of the food consumed by the delegates.
“Naay constant monitoring ang atong mga health personnel sa mga billeting quarters, kada delegation adunay health personnel,” said Bongalos.
Local DepED officials have already coordinated with the Department of Health and provincial and Tagbilaran City health authorities to ensure that the athletes are kept healthy, she added.
According to Bonagalos, health personnel will be tasked to monitor including food preparations in the various billeting areas.
Authorities will also be checking street food which will be sold around playing areas and the athletes’ quarters.
Meanwhile, some delegations have taken precautions and will be consuming food from other sources.
Some groups availed of catering services while others will be preparing their own food, said Bongalos.
On Sunday last week, 38 athletes from Mati, Davao Oriental were rushed to a hospital due to an alleged food poisoning incident.
The athletes are delegates to the Davao Regional Athletic Association (DAVRAA) which is being held in Davao City from February 18 to 23.
GMA News reported that some of the delegates started to experience symptoms after eating dried fish while others suspected that the corned beef or the pancit they ate caused the poisoning. (R. Tutas)