Mystery as pupil dies, 30 others rushed to hospital

ONE pupil died and dozens of others and a teacher were rushed to hospital after they fell ill at a Mqanduli school yesterday.

Pupils and teachers at Bhekisizwe Junior Secondary School are still in shock after the incident, which could not be explained yesterday afternoon.

School principal, Thembinkosi Tshemese said: “We had just dismissed the pupils and they were heading to their respective classes. We were in the staff room when a pupil came running in saying one girl had fallen ill.”

The 15-year-old Grade 8 pupil could not say what was wrong with her but showed signs of being in agony. She was rushed to the nearest clinic but she did not survive.

She cannot be named until her next of kin has been notified.

“The nurses did everything they could but apparently she was already dead when we arrived there. As we were leaving, two other pupils arrived [at the clinic] and we were called back to the school because more pupils were not well.”

The 30 pupils and a teacher were rushed to Zithulele Hospital.

Tshemese said he could not explain the symptoms presented by the pupils because they all showed different symptoms.

“Some were just crying and others had epileptic fits,” Tshemese said, adding that in his many years as a principal, he had never seen anything like it.

The school has 520 pupils and 12 staff members. After the incident yesterday, Tshemese sent all the pupils home. Tshemese said the pupils became sick well before the food from the school nutrition programme was served.

Education spokesman Mali Mtima who confirmed the incident said: “The officials will tell us what happened and they will tell us what we can do to help. We are waiting for them, as well as the doctors, to let us know what happened and how we can prevent it.”

Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said of the 30 female pupils that became ill, only 18 were admitted. He said doctors suspected hysteria.

“This has happened before but it is shocking now that someone has died. It is contagious – it usually starts with one person and affects others as well,” he said.

Kupelo said a postmortem on the girl’s body would shed more light.

The chief of the area, Nkosi Daluhlanga Dalasile said: “This happened in 2014 but no one died. Our community is shocked over what has happened. We are waiting for those in hospital to tell us what happened to them.” —