Over 50 learners from two different schools in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, have fallen ill as authorities try to contain a series of food poisoning incidents that have involved children in the country.
Health Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says the learners were sent to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pains, with some indicating that they have been vomiting.
“Well, at this stage, we can also indicate that 11 more learners have been added to the 39 number, which makes it 50 now.
"The report that we got from our medical team is that all learners look stable and that they are attended (to) by 13 doctors and staff at the hospital in the greater Giyani area,” Shikwambana said.
Contaminated food
Mpumalanga Department of Education spokesperson Gerald Sambo also confirmed the incident, saying the school learners may have consumed contaminated food at school.
“We have received a report from Lundanda Primary School that some learners started complaining about itchiness on their bodies. And it said that they bought the chocolates from one of the local spaza shops, and the school has actually went to the spaza shop to confirm, and they confirmed that they do sell that particular product,” says Sambo.
In October this month, six children died in South Africa after ingesting a chemical compound used in pesticides, the country's health minister said, prompting calls for tighter food safety controls.
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