Five perish after eating puffball fish<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang<\/p>\n
Five locals died and four others remain in a critical condition
\nafter eating ikan fugu (puffball fish), parts of which are known
\nto be poisonous.<\/p>\n
The five -- residents of Sina Malaka in East Flores, here --
\nhave been identified as Markus Kadeku, 9, Aloysius Balaka, 48,
\nMaria Neno Wadjon, 58, Martino Beto Welan, 30 and Bernardus Gajak
\nWelan, 69.<\/p>\n
Chief of the East Flores Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Darto Juhardono
\nsaid on Tuesday that a few families had got together on Sunday to
\ncook ikan fugu, which they had caught nearby.<\/p>\n
"Some were not affected after they ate the fish, but five
\npeople vomited before they died, while others vomited and passed
\nout," said Darto. Some residents tried to give them coconut
\nwater, but it did not help at all, he added.<\/p>\n
A preliminary investigation found that those that died or
\npassed out had eaten the boiled innards of the fish, its bones,
\nhead and eggs, while those that survived ate only the flesh,
\nwhich was apparently fried.<\/p>\n
Police are still looking into the case.<\/p>\n
Many people, mostly among coastal communities, are familiar
\nwith the fact that parts of ikan fugu -- locally known as ikan
\nbuntal -- are poisonous. Its taste, however, is said to be
\nparticularly tempting.<\/p>\n
Other such cases have been reported over the past few years,
\nincluding in coastal areas in Tuban regency and East Java
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
About the puffball fish<\/p>\n
- There are several kinds of puffball fish: coconut puffball
\n(tetraodon reticularis), golden puffball (T. fluviatilis), sand
\npuffball (T. immaculatus) and pock-marked puffball (T. leiurus).
\n- It is found at sea or in inland waters
\n- Poisoning can result in death within 10 minutes to three hours
\n- Symptoms: Powerful pain in lips, tongue and fingertips.
\nPowerful headache and vomiting, mouth foams and body is struck by
\nparalysis.
\n- Parts of the puffball fish that should not be eaten are its
\neggs, eyes, skin and innards.<\/p>\n
Source: Ensiklopedi Nasional Indonesia and a paper by Yuspihana
\nFitrial of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/five-perish-after-eating-puffball-fish-1447893297",
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