Health Department probing chemical agent behind ‘food poisonings’
The Health Department says a team has been deployed to search for a chemical agent believed to be behind the spate of food poisonings plaguing the country.
Several children have died or been hospitalised due to suspected cases of food poisoning in the past few weeks.
It is understood the children may have eaten snacks sold by spaza shops.
Health spokesperson Foster Mohale says Minister Aaron Motsoaledi met with the country's security structure NATJOINTS last week.
"After careful analysis, we command that all these investigations involving various institutions and bodies should be coordinated by the Department of Health.
READ: 25 pupils from Bronkhorstspruit hospitalised for ’food poisoning’
"This prompted Minister Motsoaledi to convene five institutions or bodies involved in these investigations."
He says the minister brought in the National Institute of Communicable Diseases to investigate.
Mohale says the team concluded that the cause of the poisonings is a chemical agent that they are now working to search for.
Around 80 health inspectors have been deployed to investigate the incidents.
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