Ingesting expired or contaminated meat is among the possibilities which led to more than 100 pupils at Ikamva Lesizwe Primary School being admitted to the Port Alfred Hospital on Monday afternoon.
Education MEC Fundile Gade’s spokesperson, Vuyiseka Mboxela, said about 120 pupils started feeling sick shortly after they ate their lunch at the Kenton-on-Sea school as part of the school nutrition programme.
She said by Tuesday morning most pupils were discharged after they were examined. Some were being monitored at the hospital.
The pupils were rushed by taxi on Monday to receive medical attention shortly after receiving their lunch, which consisted of pap and meat, HeraldLIVE reported.
Mboxela said pupils started complaining they were not feeling well, with several saying they were suffering stomach aches and started vomiting or experiencing diarrhoea.
The Eastern Cape department of health has taken medical samples to determine the cause of the pupils falling ill.
District and provincial officials were sent to the school to make sure pupils received medical attention and that psychosocial services are provided to pupils and parents.
According to Mboxela, no foul play was expected.
“The pupils are served lunch by parents, who were appointed to assist with the feeding programme by the school governing body.
“The food is prepared by parents and the ingredients are bought by them.
“We cannot say with certainty, but there is a possibility the pupils might have eaten expired meat,” Mboxela said.
Health department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said the tests would take about a week to conclude.
None of the pupils were reported to be critical.
Mboxela said government had a responsibility to buy food and crops from the surrounding areas.
She said it was the first time the department had to deal with such an incident in the district.
The cause of the pupils’ sickness would be made public as soon as the department received the medical reports.
In October, more than 70 pupils at a school in Port St Johns were rushed to hospital after suspected poisoning.
The pupils allegedly ate fruit donated to them.
HeraldLIVE