Manila, Jan. 21 -- Shellfish meat samples collected from Leyte, Leyte have been found positive of toxic red tide as the condition persists in five bays in Eastern Visayas, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported on Tuesday.

Based on sampling of the BFAR main office, the meat samples have paralytic shellfish toxin, prompting the agency to include the area in the national shellfish bulletin.

An area is included in the national shellfish bulletin if both shellfish and seawater samples turn positive of the toxic organism.

The four areas included in the latest bulletin are Daram Island in Samar; Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City in Samar province; Matarinao Bay in General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani and Salcedo in...