Classes on hold for stomach ailment
SCHOOLING at Thubalethu High School in Fort Beaufort has been stopped until further notice after 98 pupils were rushed to hospital following an outbreak of suspected food poisoning.
Concerned school teachers said they had received complaints from boarding school pupils on Wednesday afternoon about stomach cramps. A teacher said only five pupils were initially affected but within about 10 minutes more than 30 pupils were complaining of a similar ailment.
After two pupils collapsed they called an ambulance. He said 69 pupils were taken to the hospital on Wednesday, when six were admitted and have been in hospital since.
Yesterday the school received reports from another 29 pupils complaining of cramps and headaches.
The teacher said some pupils had been vomiting and were rushed to hospital.
Ten were admitted and are still in hospital. He said the school was unsure what had caused the sickness.
A Grade 10 boarding pupil, Mihlali Nogqala, said after he had lunch at the hostel he started feeling stomach cramps and reported the matter to his class teacher.
“It is definitely the food we eat here, this food is old. We had sausage and bread yesterday. This is not the first time learners got sick. We often have stomach cramps and diarrhoea but not a huge amount of learners like now,” he said.
The pupil said they were given injections and medication at the hospital and taken back to school.
Another pupil who wanted to remain anonymous said she had stomach cramps and felt weak.
She said she was not sure whether it was just the food that caused her stomach cramps or the water.
School principal Lungile January confirmed the incident but said he could not comment on the matter as they still had to meet with education department officials.
Pupils said that they had been told the school would investigate the matter as it was suspected that water or food may have been the cause.
“This started on Wednesday, when a number of pupils were taken to hospital, and another group was taken today.
“The principal said we should return to school next week to avoid more pupils getting sick,” said a pupil.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that pupils were treated at the Fort Beaufort hospital for vomiting, diarrhoea and headaches. Kupelo said the department would investigate the matter.
“We are going to take swabs and stools to check what was contaminated,” he said. —