FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – At least 104 people in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, have been hospitalized after consuming contaminated food from a local cookery shop.
The incident occurred on Saturday, May 18th, with patients from the Mabella community experiencing symptoms like vomiting, weakness, dizziness, and bloody stools. Thankfully, a statement from the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex on Saturday evening confirmed all patients, including 26 children, are in stable condition.
Hospital officials immediately activated an emergency response team to treat the affected individuals. Police were also called in to assist with crowd control and investigate the suspected source of the contamination. The investigation traced the outbreak to a local cookery shop, where the owner and his daughters also fell ill after consuming the food.
While authorities continue their investigation, a separate incident of suspected food poisoning unfolded at Connaught Hospital. According to hospital officials, a surge of patients from the Marbella community arrived on the morning of May 18th, reporting similar symptoms.
In total, Connaught Hospital admitted and treated 80 patients, including 26 children. These patients primarily consisted of 48 females and 32 males. However, the situation escalated when police discovered another 24 individuals who had self-medicated with palm oil and kerosene after experiencing food poisoning symptoms. These additional patients were subsequently brought to the hospital for proper medical care.
