The Vanuatu Ministry of Health reports that from January 1 to March 19, 27 ciguatera fish poisoning cases were recorded, all were clinically diagnosed.
The cases were distributed as follows: Seventeen (17) cases from Efate, 6 cases from Maewo, 2 cases from Ambrym, 1 from Ambae, 1 from Pentecost and 1 from Santo.
No deaths have been recorded.
From the cases reported, 69% of the cases consumed reef fish – not specified, 16 consumed Snapper and 15% consumed grouper.
More than 400 species of fish, including barracuda, black grouper, blackfin snapper, cubera snapper, dog snapper, greater amberjack, hogfish, horse-eye jack, king mackerel, and yellowfin grouper have been implicated in this food borne illness that’s relatively common in several areas of the world.
FoodWorld 