One person has died. while 30 people are receiving Medical treatment after allegedly eating poisoned meat at Tabachicha Location near Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. A statement released by Alfred Nzo District Municipality spokesperson Lixolile Petela said five of those people are reported to be critical. The statement said Alfred Nzo District Municipality Municipal Health Services together with the Department of Health was informed and was dispatched to the area yesterday morning. On arrival in the village, people were vomiting with diarrhea and stomach cramps, with one person already dead.
It is reported that the cow died after it was injected by the owner and then, the meat was sold to the village community. It is reported that ambulances from Joe Gqabi Region rushed to the area yesterday taking some to hospital. The Executive Mayor of Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Cllr Sixolile Mehlomakhulu has urged the community to urgently alert Health Officials of any other suspected cases of affected individuals.
“We are doing all we can working with the Department of Health to make sure that we save lives in this shocking situation. Cllr Mehlomakhulu said.
In a statement, the villagers were urged to be calm and temporally manage themselves with sugar-salt solution to prevent dehydration as they are having diarrhea and vomiting. Victims will be transported to relevant health facilities according to their health status and health needs assessments. The Alfred Nzo District Municipal Health Services has taken the specimens for laboratory investigations.
All the relevant stakeholders are urged to play their respective roles in this regard. “DRDAR has been engaged to play their key role in animal health-related issues to confirm the history of the injection given to this index cow.
Communities are urged not to consume carcass from animals who died while sick or not slaughtered as this places great danger to their lives and more burden to the health facilities already carrying much load due to the COVID-19 resurgence.
