Food Poisoning Lands 61 Students in Machakos in the Hospital
On Tuesday evening, 61 students from Katani Primary School in Athi River, Machakos County, were urgently admitted to various hospitals across the county due to suspected food poisoning. The students had consumed wild fruits within the school premises, leading to symptoms such as stomach pains, vomiting, and weakness in limbs.
Machakos Health boss, Daniel Yumbya, confirmed the incident, mentioning that upon learning of the situation, he promptly dispatched an ambulance and a nurse to the school. Yumbya reassured that the pupils were in stable condition, and a majority had already been discharged.
In response to the incident, a sample of the consumed fruits has been sent to the laboratory for investigation. Yumbya reported, “A report was received at 3.30 pm concerning pupils exhibiting signs of severe abdominal pains and vomiting at Kanaani Integrated Primary School. An ambulance with a nurse was immediately dispatched to the school as clinicians were preparing to receive the pupils at Athi River Level 4 Hospital.”
He further provided details on the medical interventions, stating, “Severely ill were 22, mild were 37. We received the pupils in two batches; the first batch had 24 pupils and the second batch had 37 pupils. The severely ill were put on IV fluids, antiemetic, zinc, and ORS while those with mild symptoms were given ORS and zinc medication.”
