Three brothers are still admitted at the Ba Mission Hospital while 11 others were discharged and sent home after they suffered fish poisoning from their lunch on Sunday.

The entire group, from one family, ate the string of barracuda fish (silasila) at their home in Votua Village in Ba.

Still admitted in hospital is Water Authority of Fiji Ba Sewerage Officer in Charge 50-year-old Selestino Gukirewa, his brother Petero Romilusi, 48, also a WAF staff, and Josevata Vunisina, 44.

A family member, Sowani Saurewa, said the family had their lunch after attending Sunday Mass at the Catholic Church in Votua Village.

He said the fish was bought from fishermen selling beside the service station in Ba town and Mr Gukirewa cooked the meal.

Laisa Matalomani, wife of Mr Gukirewa, said by the afternoon they started feeling pain in their joints.

Vilikesa Soro, 20, said he started having diarrhoea by mid afternoon.

“Soon after my joints started to pain and I told my parents that I could be suffering from fish poisoning,” the USP student said.

Ms Matalomani said the family then started to feel sick and 13 were taken to the hospital where all were admitted.

The other person, Mr Vunisa, was only taken up on Monday.

Ms Matalomani said they were still feeling weak and sore around the joints but were recovering slowly.

She said her husband and his brothers still had not recovered fully and were the worst hit from the family affected.

Certain species of fish become poisonous at certain times annually after eating balolo, a kind of edible sea worm, scientifically known as Eunice viridis.

The tiny worms spend most of its time in the deep recesses of certain coral reefs.

They rise in their millions to the surface for a few hours once or twice a year and this is when certain fish eat it and become poisonous.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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