DOH: 122 people reported sick due to Oriental Mindoro oil spill

More than a hundred individuals have now gotten sick due to the effects brought by the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker in Oriental Mindoro, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

At a press briefing, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the 122 cases recorded, most of them had headaches and respiratory-related symptoms like cough and colds. 

“Marami din pong nahihilo, 16. Meron pong mga sumakit ang tiyan, merong nahirapan huminga, 10. Merong nagkaroon ng skin rashes, around seven. At meron pong lima na na-aggravate—-dahil nga na-inhale nila—-na-aggravate ang kanilang asthma,” she added.

(Many or 16 people also got dizzy. Some people had stomach aches, about 10 had difficulty breathing. Around seven people also had skin rashes, while five had their asthma aggravated because they inhaled the oil.)

Vergeire said the symptoms of most of these cases have already recovered.

Only one was admitted in a hospital due to an aggravated asthma, but was also discharged the next day, she reiterated.

“So ngayon po, mina-manage natin ‘yung mga sintomas na nararamdaman nila and of course, what would be most important would be, ma-prevent natin further ‘yung mga sintomas na mangyayari sa ating komunidad,” Vergeire said.

(Right now, we are managing the symptoms that they feel and of course, what would be most important would be, we further prevent the symptoms that will happen in our community.)

The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Naujan while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel. Aside from Oriental Mindoro, the oil spill has also reached the provinces of Antique and Palawan. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News