Staff Reporter
A TOTAL of around 70 children were affected by food poisoning at the Augustineum secondary school’s hostel and treated at the Katutura hospital as well as Robert Mugabe clinic yesterday.
This is according to the executive director within the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nangombe, who said that there have been no fatalities reported and that all the learners involved were discharged after receiving treatment.
“The ministry was notified about the matter of suspected food poisoning at Augustineum secondary school. A number of learners with varying degrees of symptoms of food poisoning were treated at the Katutura hospital. From the 70 children, about 56 were treated at health facilities. They all had vomiting and diarrhoea. The Ministry of Health has taken samples to identify the possible poisonous agent,” Nangombe said.
Also speaking to the Informante yesterday, the school principal of Augustineum, Rudolph Matengu, said that the school was visited by officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Services yesterday, and that samples of food were taken. In addition to this, Matengu added that hostel staff were also questioned and tested. “I am informed that about 50 kids went to the hospital. The onset of symptoms started on 12 February 2023,” Matengu said.
