50 Giyani pupils hospitalised in suspected food poisoning incident

Fifty pupils from a Giyani primary school have been hospitalised following a suspected food poisoning incident.

The Limpopo Department of Health Spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana, confirmed to SABC News that 50 pupils from Dzumeri Primary School have been hospitalised due to a suspected foodborne illness.

“The report that we have for our medical team is that all learners look stable; they are being seen by the doctors and all our medical staff at the causality of the Nkhensani Hospital in the greater Giyani area,” he said.

Hospitalised pupils ate pap and milk

Shikwambana said that after the treating team interviewed the pupils and teachers, it was revealed that the food the pupils ate in common was the meal (pap and milk) they received from the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).

“It is suspected that it came out of that, but we’re not sure as of now because there needs to be tests that will be run, but that’s the information we got,” the spokesperson said.

39 pupils were initially admitted with complaints of abdominal pains and vomiting before a further 11 pupils were admitted to the hospital.

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This latest incident comes as the Limpopo Department of Education announced a temporary ban on street vendors and spaza shops from selling foods in and around school last month.

The decision comes as the country is experiencing a surge of food poisoning-related cases, and the ban was allegedly lifted on Thursday.

Schools and vendors across the province were given until 11 November to ensure that they fully comply with strict conditions set out for all vendors.

Ramaphosa family meeting on food poisoning

It also comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce the government’s response to the deaths of schoolchildren for suspected foodborne illness.

Amid calls for the government to take a firm hand on the matter, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Wednesday the nation would soon hear from Ramaphosa in the coming days.

More than 23 children have died in Gauteng alone.

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