Cypermethrin Identified as Possible Cause of Mass Fainting in Antique Schoolchildren

ANTIQUE – A toxicology investigation by the Department of Health (DOH) has pointed to cypermethrin, a pesticide, as the probable cause of a mass fainting event that affected close to 300 students in Barangay Pis-anan, Sibalom town on July 2. According to the DOH Toxicology Specialty Center at Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital and confirmed by Sibalom Mayor Gian Carlo Occeña in a statement on August 2, environmental contamination from cypermethrin likely led to the incident.

Mayor Occeña explained, "Sufficient evidence indicates environmental contamination by cypermethrin within the school premises, likely resulting from airborne pesticide drift exacerbated by weather conditions."

Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid commonly employed as an agricultural pesticide, particularly for rice and other crops, was detected on classroom walls, doors, and surrounding vegetation at Pis-anan National High School. This strongly suggests airborne dispersal of the chemical in the vicinity.

The event provoked alarm as students from both Pis-anan National High School and Pis-anan Central Elementary School experienced respiratory difficulties, chest pain, vomiting, and chills after inhaling a foul smell described by witnesses as resembling "rotten guava." The DOH toxicology report noted these symptoms align with acute exposure to pyrethroid pesticides, the chemical class to which cypermethrin belongs.

Further tests revealed elevated levels of formic acid in urine samples from two students, indicating potential methanol exposure, a solvent sometimes used in pesticide formulations and fogging solutions.

Mayor Occeña cautioned that the investigation is ongoing, with additional environmental samples still under laboratory analysis to better determine the contamination's source and scope. "We continue to await these results, which are vital for correlating with the toxicological data already obtained," he said.

The Sibalom local government is maintaining close cooperation with health and environmental agencies to safeguard student health and prevent recurrence of similar incidents.