Two hundred children affected by food poisoning in Mbizana

School desks.

Mbizana – Two hundred children from the Mlindazwe junior secondary school in Mbizana, in the Eastern Cape, are believed to have food poisoning, with many spending the night in hospital.

Department of Health spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, confirmed that 162 learners had been kept overnight at the St Patrick's Hospital in Bizana for observation.

Kupelo said the students, all grade 9 learners, had attended a farewell party on the 25th of October.

He said the learners had started complaining of stomach cramps, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, and were rushed to the hospital on Thursday.

Kupelo said the learners were kept overnight and would see doctors at the hospital today before being released.

He said three learners, two female and one male, had been admitted to one of the hospital wards in a critical condition.

Kupelo said while the department of health had visited the school on Thursday, they had been unable to find samples of the food that had been eaten to test.

Kupelo said in a separate incident in Manzana village outside Qumbu, 60 villagers presented with diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps after feeding from a cow that was slaughtered after giving birth to a still born calf.

He said 17 of them were rushed to Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital.