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Authorities confirm reason behind nine sudden deaths in Zanzibar
Eight children and an adult have lost their lives in a tragic incident in one of the world’s most sought after destinations.
March 11, 2024 - 4:23PM
Eight children and an adult lost their lives in a tragic incident involving toxic sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago.
Despite being regarded as a delicacy among the residents of Zanzibar, turtle meat can have deadly side effects and has periodically wreaked havoc among the population.
A further 78 people requiring hospitalisation after consuming sea turtle meat in recent weeks, casting a spotlight on the dangerous tradition that carries a risk of chelonitoxism, a potentially lethal form of food poisoning.
Dr Haji Bakari, the medical officer for Mkoani District, confirmed the deaths, including that of a mother whose child had previously died from the same cause.
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Dr Bakari said that laboratory tests had conclusively linked all the recent deaths with the consumption of sea turtle meat.
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WORLD
8 children, 1 adult die after eating sea turtle meat in Zanzibar, officials say
March 11, 2024 / 12:36 PM EDT / CBS/AP
Zanzibar, Tanzania — Eight children and an adult died after eating sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, while 78 other people were hospitalized, authorities said Saturday. Sea turtle meat is considered a delicacy by Zanzibar's people even though it periodically results in deaths from chelonitoxism, a type of food poisoning.
The adult who died late Friday was the mother of one of the children who succumbed earlier, said the Mkoani District medical officer, Dr. Haji Bakari. He said the turtle meat was consumed Tuesday.
Bakari told The Associated Press that laboratory tests had confirmed all the victims had eaten sea turtle meat.
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In November 2021, seven people, including a 3-year-old, died on Pemba after eating turtle meat while three others were hospitalized..
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Translation Google
Those who died from eating turtles reached nine
Monday, March 11, 2024
By Salim Hamad
Reporter
...
The deaths of people allegedly eating turtle meat in Kisiwapanza Regional District, South Pemba have reached nine, while 98 others were hospitalized due to the problem.
The incident of people allegedly eating the meat happened on March 5, this year and previous reports stated that the dead were eight children under 10 years old in six families, while one family lost two children.
According to the Regional District Physician, Bakar Haji, one of the people admitted to him died the other day while undergoing treatment
"Another girl, Sabrina Makame Khamis (22) also died, while 98 patients are still hospitalized," said Haji.
He said experts have set up an emergency camp to provide services to people who are found to be affected.
He said that although the number of patients has increased, their conditions are going well, unlike in the early days, while they continue to conduct tests and wait for the answers of the samples from the Chief Government Chemist.
The Chief of ChakeChake District who is acting as Regional District Chief, Abdalla Rashid Ali, said the Government continues to take various measures to add doctors to the Kisiwapanza Health Center.
He said that currently the situation is going well as more patients have returned home, while others are detained until the experts are satisfied that there is no longer a problem.
He said that the patients who arrive at the center are those who were sent back after their conditions improved, but they have returned again after feeling like they have a sore throat.
"The most patients who come are the ones we brought back home, they say they have pain in the throat, they get treatment and they come back,"said Abdalla.
However, Abdalla said the District Government continues to educate the people not to be afraid, while saying that anyone who sees symptoms should run to the station.
Eight children and an adult have lost their lives in a tragic incident in one of the world’s most sought after destinations.
March 11, 2024 - 4:23PM
Eight children and an adult lost their lives in a tragic incident involving toxic sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago.
Despite being regarded as a delicacy among the residents of Zanzibar, turtle meat can have deadly side effects and has periodically wreaked havoc among the population.
A further 78 people requiring hospitalisation after consuming sea turtle meat in recent weeks, casting a spotlight on the dangerous tradition that carries a risk of chelonitoxism, a potentially lethal form of food poisoning.
Dr Haji Bakari, the medical officer for Mkoani District, confirmed the deaths, including that of a mother whose child had previously died from the same cause.
.
Dr Bakari said that laboratory tests had conclusively linked all the recent deaths with the consumption of sea turtle meat.
...
----------------------------------
WORLD
8 children, 1 adult die after eating sea turtle meat in Zanzibar, officials say
March 11, 2024 / 12:36 PM EDT / CBS/AP
Zanzibar, Tanzania — Eight children and an adult died after eating sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, while 78 other people were hospitalized, authorities said Saturday. Sea turtle meat is considered a delicacy by Zanzibar's people even though it periodically results in deaths from chelonitoxism, a type of food poisoning.
The adult who died late Friday was the mother of one of the children who succumbed earlier, said the Mkoani District medical officer, Dr. Haji Bakari. He said the turtle meat was consumed Tuesday.
Bakari told The Associated Press that laboratory tests had confirmed all the victims had eaten sea turtle meat.
...
In November 2021, seven people, including a 3-year-old, died on Pemba after eating turtle meat while three others were hospitalized..
...
---------------------------------------
Translation Google
Those who died from eating turtles reached nine
Monday, March 11, 2024
By Salim Hamad
Reporter
...
The deaths of people allegedly eating turtle meat in Kisiwapanza Regional District, South Pemba have reached nine, while 98 others were hospitalized due to the problem.
The incident of people allegedly eating the meat happened on March 5, this year and previous reports stated that the dead were eight children under 10 years old in six families, while one family lost two children.
According to the Regional District Physician, Bakar Haji, one of the people admitted to him died the other day while undergoing treatment
"Another girl, Sabrina Makame Khamis (22) also died, while 98 patients are still hospitalized," said Haji.
He said experts have set up an emergency camp to provide services to people who are found to be affected.
He said that although the number of patients has increased, their conditions are going well, unlike in the early days, while they continue to conduct tests and wait for the answers of the samples from the Chief Government Chemist.
The Chief of ChakeChake District who is acting as Regional District Chief, Abdalla Rashid Ali, said the Government continues to take various measures to add doctors to the Kisiwapanza Health Center.
He said that currently the situation is going well as more patients have returned home, while others are detained until the experts are satisfied that there is no longer a problem.
He said that the patients who arrive at the center are those who were sent back after their conditions improved, but they have returned again after feeling like they have a sore throat.
"The most patients who come are the ones we brought back home, they say they have pain in the throat, they get treatment and they come back,"said Abdalla.
However, Abdalla said the District Government continues to educate the people not to be afraid, while saying that anyone who sees symptoms should run to the station.
