Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte – At least three people have died and dozens of others have fallen ill following a food-borne illness incident in Barangay Lapaken, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, after residents consumed meat from a sea turtle, locally known as pawikan, on November 24, 2024.

According to initial reports, the incident began when the residents of Barangay Lapaken caught a sea turtle and cooked it for a communal meal on the morning of November 24. Just two days later, on November 26, seven residents who had eaten the turtle meat began experiencing symptoms including vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea. The affected individuals sought medical attention, and as the symptoms worsened, five of them were rushed to the Sultan Kudarat District Hospital (SKDH) on the evening of November 27. Three of these individuals were admitted, two of whom were unconscious upon arrival.

As the incident escalated, three more individuals died from suspected poisoning. The first fatality occurred on November 29 at 8:20 AM, a 68-year-old male who had been admitted to SKDH. Later that day, two additional patients, both males aged 48 and 56, died after being transferred to Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC).

By November 29, local health authorities had confirmed that at least 35 residents from Barangay Lapaken had ingested the sea turtle meat. This prompted immediate action from the Municipal Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (MESU) and the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU), which launched an investigation and started conducting active case finding and data collection.

As of December 1, the total number of cases related to the outbreak stood at 35. This includes three deaths, one patient admitted at CRMC, 20 discharged patients, and five individuals seeking outpatient consultation. Six other individuals who had consumed the turtle meat did not require consultation.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and local health authorities are now investigating the cause of the poisoning, which is suspected to be linked to toxins in the sea turtle meat. The poisoning may be related to certain species of sea turtles that are known to carry toxic substances that can cause foodborne illnesses when ingested.

In response to the outbreak, health teams have been conducting active case finding and are closely monitoring those who consumed the sea turtle meat. The PESU has reported the incident to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The Ministry of Health has pledged to support ongoing investigations and ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to protect the public from similar outbreaks in the future.