At least 40 primary school pupils were rushed to hospital displaying symptoms of food poisoning after eating lollipops they brought during their market day event in Verulum, KwaZulu-Natal.
The pupils were aged between five and 13.
IPSS Medical Rescue said they were called to a primary school in Verulum on Friday after the children reported that they were not feeling well.
Reaction Unit SA’s Pre Balram added that learners displayed symptoms of food poisoning after consuming the XPOP Energy Red Dragon Lollipops which had been bought at the school’s market day.
“Several learners aged between five and 13-years-old approached teachers and complained of several abdominal pains, difficulty in breathing and nausea after consuming lollipops that were purchased from other learners during their market day event,” he said.
Balram added that the children were assessed by emergency teams at the scene.
“Some learners were taken to local hospitals by ambulance while others were taken to medical facilities by their parents,” he said.
Muzi Mahlambi, the spokesperson for the Department of Education, said it was disturbing to learn of pupils being sick at school after eating sweets, as it wasn’t the first time.
Earlier this year, pupils from another school at Maphumulo in northern KwaZulu-Natal also fell ill after eating lollipops from the same company.
In February, learners fell ill after consuming the same lollipops.
At the time, IOL reported that learners at the uMzovane Primary School in KwaMaphumlo fell sick after allegedly consuming the same XPOP Energy Red Dragon lollipops they brought from a vendor.
Manufacturer, Richester Foods was absolved of blame after an independent test revealed that learners did not get sick after eating lollipops.
Source: News365, IOL, The Witness, image from Twitter: @RantsSouth