Over 70 West Rand matriculants are being treated for suspected food poisoning

JOHANNESBURG - Over 70 matriculants in Gauteng’s West Rand are being treated in hospital for suspected food poisoning on Thursday afternoon

According to the provincial Department of Health, the learners from three different schools were at a camp hosted at Fochville Secondary School when they began exhibiting symptoms including stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

The incident comes just four days after five children tragically lost their lives in Naledi, Soweto, under similar suspicion of food poisoning.

"So, 73 are at the hospital receiving treatment, while one learner was taken to a private facility. Our healthcare teams are closely monitoring the situation. Fortunately, the learners are mostly doing fairly well they are in stable condition," said the Gauteng Department of Health's spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.

UPDATE: SOME OF THE LEARNERS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL

Later on Thursday, the Gauteng Department of Health said some of the learners who were hospitalised had released to go home, with hopes that most of them would be back home in the evening.

The affected learners are from three different schools in Carletonville.

The department said it's working with relevant authorities to address food safety in this regard. 

“It is concerning in terms of the rise in this type of incident. This comes hot on the heels of the tragic Naledi incident where five children tragically lost their lives.”

The Gauteng health department expressed concern about the rise of suspected food-poisoning cases involving learners in the province.

It added that it’s working with relevant authorities to address food safety in in this regard.

“It is concerning in terms of the rise in this type of incident. This comes hot on the heels of the tragic Naledi incident where 5 children tragically lost their lives,” said Modiba