41 Soweto Preschool Kids Consume Rat Poison, Rushed to Chris Hani Baragwanath

• Over 40 preschool children mistakenly ate rat poison, thinking that it was sweets and were rushed to the hospital
• This incident followed another one in which 10 people, including eight children and two adults, consumed poisonous food
• The Department of Health expressed how concerned it was that similar occurrings are on the rise, as this brings the number to 863

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG – The Gauteng Department of Health is concerned that there is a rise in incidents where residents consume poison after two incidents in which children were rushed to hospital.

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Soweto and Ekurhuleni children rushed to hospital

According to Zimoja, 41 children from Soweto ate rat poison after they mistook it for sweets at a preschool. They were admitted to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. 24 children were discharged, and the remaining were kept overnight for observation.

The second incident occurred on 15 April in Ekurhuleni. Two adults and eight children were rushed to the Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital in Ekurhuleni after eating food that contained poison. The adults were discharged the same night, and two children were sent home the next day.

Poisoning incidents on the rise

The department's spokesperson, Khutso Rabothata, said 863 people have been hospitalised for food poisoning-related incidents since October 2023.

"The department calls on all arms of society, particularly parents and caregivers, to play their part in protecting children from the risks of food poisoning to safeguard their health and prevent further incidents," he said.

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He also called on those who experience symptoms like cramping, nausea, fever, vomiting or bloody diarrhoea to visit their nearest health facilities.

Roodepoort students die from allegedly eating biscuits

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that grade three children from a primary school in Roodepoort died after allegedly eating poisoned food.

The children complained of stomach cramps while in class and were rushed to the hospital. They were declared dead.

Source: Briefly News