Manila, March 21 -- After nearly three years of infestation, all bays in Eastern Visayas are now free from red tide toxins, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported Friday.

Samples tested from shellfish in the waters of Leyte, Leyte, and Matarinao Bay have been confirmed toxin-free, making them the last areas in the region to be delisted from the national shellfish bulletin.

"To date, no areas in Eastern Visayas are under shellfish ban or local red tide warning. All types of shellfish from the region are safe from human consumption," BFAR said in a statement.

Eastern Visayas has frequently experienced red tide warnings in recent years, according to BFAR, marking a rare period of red tide absence in these areas.

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