JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (Xinhua) — A total of 40 students from Aquazini Secondary School in South Africa's Mpumalanga province were hospitalized on Tuesday after an incident of suspected food poisoning, local authorities said on Wednesday.
The Mpumalanga provincial education department said three students initially complained of severe stomach cramps after eating the snacks.
As more learners presented similar symptoms, the number of those taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation increased to 40, the department said, adding that all affected students are in stable, non-critical condition and have since been discharged.
Health inspectors have been deployed to investigate the cause of the outbreak. Samples of suspected snacks, other foods, and local water sources have been sent for laboratory testing to determine the exact cause of the illness.
The incident followed a series of similar cases across South Africa. Media reports said that dozens of students have died or been hospitalized due to suspected food poisoning linked to snacks purchased from local informal shops in recent years, leading the government to previously declare such outbreaks a “national security threat”.