Four children from the same family have died and 47 others have been hospitalized after eating what is believed to be turtle meat in Unguja, Zanzibar. The incident comes just a month after seven people died and 24 others were hospitalized in Micheweni, Pemba.
Speaking of the incident, the commander of the regional police Martin Otieno said that the deaths occurred in Matamwe, where the turtle was caught in the sea: “A fisherman, identified as Juma Mussa, saw the turtle laying eggs in the area, so together with other fishermen he managed to capture it, slaughtered it and divided it between them, ”he said.
According to the PRC, the first signs of the tragedy began to appear after the death of Juma’s first son, Mohammed Juma, and others began to develop signs of food poisoning and it was then that they were rushed to the hospital. After the tragedy continued: the other three children Ali Juma (4 years old), Juma Musa (6) na Zainabu Juma (1.5) also lost their lives in the hospital.
The Zanzibar government has banned turtle fishing in its waters. The local press reports, specifying that the fishing authorities of the island have ordered to stop the activities with immediate effect. Abdullah Hussein Kombo, minister for fisheries and the blue economy of Zanzibar, specified that the measure was introduced due to the threat posed by turtle meat, which is poisoned by some algae and herbs eaten by animals.
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