131 Pupils Discharged, 30 More Hospitalised After Tinned Fish Meal at Eastern Cape School

A school lunch gone wrong sparks concern across the province

What started as an ordinary lunch break has quickly spiralled into a public health scare in the Eastern Cape. Learners at Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni were served rice and tinned fish on Wednesday. Within hours, dozens were sick, vomiting, dizzy, and suffering from severe abdominal pain.

By Thursday, the total number of learners affected had climbed to more than 160.

Helicopters, drips, and mass hospital admissions

The first signs of trouble came when children began falling ill on Wednesday. The province’s Emergency Medical Services rushed to the school, deploying ambulances and even a medical helicopter to handle the scale of the emergency.

Department of Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana confirmed that about 70 learners were taken to various hospitals, including Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital, and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre. Some were in such serious condition that they had to be airlifted.

“Some of the learners were on intravenous drips, and those in serious condition were airlifted to the hospital,” said Manana.

By the end of the day, the number had surged to 131. Thankfully, all had been discharged by Wednesday evening. But the relief was short-lived.

Another wave hits the next day

Just as the province exhaled, more bad news followed. On Thursday morning, 30 more learners from the same school arrived at Mthatha Regional Hospital with similar symptoms. It was clear the incident was far from over.

“The children were showing symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, nausea, and abdominal pains; some also had fevers,” said Manana.

All affected learners had reportedly eaten the same meal: rice and tinned fish served during break time. It remains unclear whether the food was contaminated, poorly stored, or expired, but public concern is growing fast.

What happens now?

At the time of writing, no official cause has been confirmed. The Eastern Cape Department of Health has not yet released details on food safety testing or whether investigations into the meal preparation process are underway.

This isn’t the first time school nutrition programmes have come under scrutiny in South Africa. While the National School Nutrition Programme aims to provide reliable daily meals to over nine million pupils, lapses in food quality and safety occasionally make headlines, and this incident may become another flashpoint.

As the health department continues to monitor the affected learners and investigate the incident, parents and school communities across the country will be watching closely.

Also read: “These Are My Private Parts”: Teacher’s Song for Kids Goes Viral with a Message the World Needed to Hear

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Source: IOL

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