The Eastern Cape health department has confirmed that about 1000 school children have been treated for food poisoning.
Siyanda Manana, spokesperson for the health department in the province, said one high school and six primary schools under the district of King William’s Town had been affected after pupils ate Amasi or sour milk.
“More than 1000 school children have been affected. Some of them have been seen by doctors and have been discharged. They ate umvubo [Amasi]. They have been vomiting. Others are complaining of stomach cramps and have diarrhoea,” Manana said.
He said the situation started on Monday when both the Bhisho and Grey hospitals were inundated with young patients from the schools complaining of stomach ache and vomiting.
He said the Health MEC Dr Pumza Dyantyi had already informed her education counterpart, Mandla Makupula, because the common source was food the children consumed from the school’s nutrition programme.
Some of the affected primary schools were Thembelihle, B Kat, Qhuqwala, Zinyoka, Schornville and Ginsberg. Jali Senior Secondary School was the only high school affected.
He said doctors and nurses were working around the clock to manage the situation, and more nurses would be recalled from nearby nursing homes if the need arose.
There were no fatalities reported by this afternoon as pupils continued to be treated – some in casualty wards – and discharged. Nine school children were discharged on Tuesday.
Dyantyi said an environmental health officer visited some of the patients and was conducting an investigation.
“An environmental assessment needs to be done urgently at the school, and food samples need to be taken and tested. I will engage the environmental health officer after which a plan will be developed which will include a standard diet plan,” said Dr Dyantyi.
The provincial department of education could not be reached for comment.
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