Preliminary tests conducted on samples taken from sour milk fed to pupils from a number of schools around King William’s Town have returned traces of faecal contamination.
This was revealed in a statement released to the media yesterday by Eastern Cape provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo following an outbreak of diarrhoea in the area.
“The source of the contamination is not known at this point and health environmental officers continue with their investigation,” he said.
Faecal contamination can lead to health problems if ingested due to the presence of infectious microorganisms. These may be from human sewage or animal sources.
Well-known East London environmental scientist Dr Alan Carter said “bugs and bacteria from sewage can make you very ill”.
He said high levels of e.coli bacteria were an “indicator of other potential pathogens which are also very harmful to humans and can cause infections”.
Late yesterday Kupelo said four children under the age of five had reported to Qeto clinic near Peddie suffering from “severe abdominal pains, severe diarrhoea and vomiting”.
He said they had also consumed sour milk.
“Government is urging the public in the King William’s Town area to halt consumption of Amasi (sour milk) until further notice,” Kupelo said.
Last week more than 1000 pupils from 11 schools in the area were treated at three provincial hospitals after eating umphokoqo (pap and sour milk) served by the school nutrition programme.
In light of the outbreak the Eastern Cape government has taken a decision to deploy nurses to all the affected schools in the region.
An outbreak response team, consisting of members from the national school nutrition programme, national departments of Health and Education and the department for communicable diseases infection control and food and nutrition, have started visiting affected schools.
The team yesterday visited Kei Road Primary school where more than 70 pupils were rushed to Philani Clinic on Monday following another case of suspected food poisoning.
The department of health said the pupils fell ill after eating sheep livers with pap. The food was also supplied as part of the national school nutrition programme.
The department said 41 of the pupils were transferred to Bhisho hospital where they received treatment after complaining of stomach cramps. They were all treated and discharged.
Kupelo said Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle has requested health and education MECs Dr Phumza Dyantyi and Mandla Makupula to put measures in place to prevent food poisoning.
“He is demanding quality assurance from both the departments and suppliers before food is dished to learners,” said Kupelo.
He said the outbreak response teams would remain “active” in the area.
“The health department will deploy health promoters and nurses to all the schools affected by the outbreak.”
The outbreak affected scores of pupils writing matric examinations as some were unable to finish writing their English paper 1 on Wednesday.
At Masibonisani High school examinations were disrupted for several hours after 80 pupils fell sick less than 48 hours after receiving treatment for diarrhoea.
Makupula said all matric pupils who were unable to finish their exams due to the outbreak would be assisted with rewriting their papers.
Dyantyi launched an investigation last week into a King William’s Town dairy that supplied the schools with the sour milk. Supply has since been cut. —malibongwed@dispatch.co.za with additional reporting by Mike Loewe
Tests find children ‘poisoned by poo’
This was revealed in a statement released to the media yesterday by Eastern Cape provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo following an outbreak of diarrhoea in the area.
“The source of the contamination is not known at this point and health environmental officers continue with their investigation,” he said.
Faecal contamination can lead to health problems if ingested due to the presence of infectious microorganisms. These may be from human sewage or animal sources.
Well-known East London environmental scientist Dr Alan Carter said “bugs and bacteria from sewage can make you very ill”.
He said high levels of e.coli bacteria were an “indicator of other potential pathogens which are also very harmful to humans and can cause infections”.
Late yesterday Kupelo said four children under the age of five had reported to Qeto clinic near Peddie suffering from “severe abdominal pains, severe diarrhoea and vomiting”.
He said they had also consumed sour milk.
“Government is urging the public in the King William’s Town area to halt consumption of Amasi (sour milk) until further notice,” Kupelo said.
Last week more than 1000 pupils from 11 schools in the area were treated at three provincial hospitals after eating umphokoqo (pap and sour milk) served by the school nutrition programme.
In light of the outbreak the Eastern Cape government has taken a decision to deploy nurses to all the affected schools in the region.
An outbreak response team, consisting of members from the national school nutrition programme, national departments of Health and Education and the department for communicable diseases infection control and food and nutrition, have started visiting affected schools.
The team yesterday visited Kei Road Primary school where more than 70 pupils were rushed to Philani Clinic on Monday following another case of suspected food poisoning.
The department of health said the pupils fell ill after eating sheep livers with pap. The food was also supplied as part of the national school nutrition programme.
The department said 41 of the pupils were transferred to Bhisho hospital where they received treatment after complaining of stomach cramps. They were all treated and discharged.
Kupelo said Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle has requested health and education MECs Dr Phumza Dyantyi and Mandla Makupula to put measures in place to prevent food poisoning.
“He is demanding quality assurance from both the departments and suppliers before food is dished to learners,” said Kupelo.
He said the outbreak response teams would remain “active” in the area.
“The health department will deploy health promoters and nurses to all the schools affected by the outbreak.”
The outbreak affected scores of pupils writing matric examinations as some were unable to finish writing their English paper 1 on Wednesday.
At Masibonisani High school examinations were disrupted for several hours after 80 pupils fell sick less than 48 hours after receiving treatment for diarrhoea.
Makupula said all matric pupils who were unable to finish their exams due to the outbreak would be assisted with rewriting their papers.
Dyantyi launched an investigation last week into a King William’s Town dairy that supplied the schools with the sour milk. Supply has since been cut. —malibongwed@dispatch.co.za with additional reporting by Mike Loewe
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