Five Family Members Hospitalized in Neno After Eating Suspected Contaminated Flour

Five members of the same family have been admitted to Neno District Hospital after eating cassava flour suspected to be contaminated.

The family reportedly mixed the cassava flour with maize flour in an attempt to stretch their food supply for several days.

When Times 360 visited Neno District Hospital, one of the patients, 21-year-old Mercy Mawindo, said they began vomiting uncontrollably soon after eating the food. They were first taken to Neno Mission Health Centre before being referred to the district hospital for further treatment.

According to Mawindo, the leftover food was later fed to pigs, which all died after consuming it.

Currently, two of the patients are admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU), where they are receiving special medical care due to their critical condition.

The victims have been identified as Ellen Amon, 45, Grace Matiyasi, 20, Linly Nelson, 14, Trevor Amon, 85, and Mercy Mawindo, all from Chikungulu Village, under Traditional Authority Mlauli.

This comes just days after an eight-year-old child from the same district died, while two of their relatives were also hospitalized at Neno District Hospital after consuming similar flour.

Copied:Times360Malawi