Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29) — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources says nine offshore areas around the country have tested positive for toxic red tide.
In a bulletin issued on Sunday, BFAR said the following areas are positive for paralytic shellfish poison:
– Milagros in Masbate
– the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol
– San Pedro Bay in Western Samar
– the coastal waters of Biliran Islands
– Carigara Bay in Leyte; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar
– Dumanquilas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur
– Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte
– Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur
The bureau said all shellfish and alamang gathered from these areas are not safe to eat.
“Fish, squids, shrimps and crab are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” the BFAR advisory said.
BFAR said the public should pay attention to red tide advisories as toxic shellfish does not taste or appear different from nontoxic ones. Cooking also does not destroy the toxin and testing is the only way to find out if shellfish contains unsafe levels of toxin.
The bureau also said there is no antidote nor direct treatment for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).
“Treatment is symptomatic and varies with the severity of the symptoms,” the bureau said in a separate advisory.
Symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue which spreads to the face, neck, fingertips and toes, followed by headache, dizziness and nausea.
The BFAR said that in severe cases, muscular paralysis and respiratory difficulty may occur within five to 12 hours. Deaths from respiratory paralysis have also been reported in the past.
