50 hospitalised after eating cow bitten by snake in South Africa

Over 50 people were rushed to various hospitals in South Africa after eating meat from a cow that had reportedly died from a snake bite.

The incident happened at Mpoza village outside Tsolo in the Eastern Cape Province.

The province’s department of health spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said the patients confirmed they had eaten the meat from the carcass of an animal that had died after being bitten by a snake.

He said the patients experienced diarrhoea, vomiting, headaches and stomach cramps, according to a report by News24.com

Among those who were ill were 16 children, eight of whom had been transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital’s paediatric ward, while the others were treated at Mthatha Regional Hospital.

Kupelo said four elderly patients were also transferred to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital for further treatment.

Kupelo said the department was urging communities to stop consuming meat from dead animals as it was dangerous to do so.

Meanwhile,the Nigerian community in South Africa has confirmed that two of its members were killed early Saturday, February 3.

Emeka Ezinteje, the secretary of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone from Johannesburg, South Africa, that the incident happened as a result of a business dispute.

“We have received a report that at 3.00am on Saturday, Ekweghiariri Chidi Isacc, 34, a native of Ehime in Isiala Mbano local government of Imo and Nzechukwu Alabuche, 35, from Azia in Anambra were stabbed to death by one Sunday from Awgbu in Anambra.

“The incident occurred at Rossetinville, South of Johannesburg.