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Chicken kelaguen supplier temporarily shut down
21 individuals brought to ER due to food poisoning
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. has temporarily closed down the establishment involved in a food poisoning incident that caused over 20 people to be brought to the hospital Monday afternoon.
According to CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muna, the source of the food poisoning was identified as Franco’s Yum Yum’s chicken kelaguen.
“We identified that they bought the chicken kelaguen from Franco’s Yum Yum,” Muna said, noting that the establishment is located in Kagman 3.
“As soon as we found the source, we closed the location and also went to the other areas to the stores [where Franco’s Yum Yum delivers] and removed if there’s any leftover,” she added.
Muna said a total of 21 individuals were brought to the emergency room between 1pm and 11pm with most cases, or 12 individuals, brought in between 4pm and 8pm.
Three cases were deemed not severe enough. Most cases were ambulatory with some arrivals through Emergency Medical Services.
“There may be other people that were poisoned but only 21 came to the ER,” Muna said.
Muna added that victims experienced acute vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain but no fever or neurological symptoms were reported. None of them also needed to be admitted to the hospital.
CHCC’s report said that inadequate food handling, food preparation, and refrigeration are most likely the source of exposure.
“Right now they’re denying it but we have some suspicions of it,” Muna said.
She added that investigations are ongoing and that the vendor has been suspended from selling until CHCC recertifies them.
“They’re basically under investigation. In order for them to be open, they need to basically be trained again. They need to understand that they really need to protect the consumers,” Muna said.
CHCC is reminding food establishments to not be complacent with food handling, food preparation, and refrigeration and that it is necessary that when consumers are buying their food item, they can be confident that it is safe.
“We need to make sure that when you’re buying, you as the consumer, need to trust that whatever food you buy, that it’s not going to give you gastroenteritis,” Muna said.
