300 students fall sick due to food poisoning in Bomet
Kamaget Secondary School is in Chebunyo Ward, Chepalungu Constituency.
At least 300 students from Kamaget Secondary School in Bomet County were taken ill after suspected of food poisoning.
The students complained of stomach aches on Friday evening and were rushed to local hospitals for treatment.
Initially, the affected students were taken to the nearby Siongiroi health centre, where 148 of them were referred to Sigor sub-county hospital.
Dr Joseph Sitonik, the Bomet County Executive in charge of Medical Services and Public Health confirmed the incident and said the affected learners were undergoing treatment at Longisa sub-county hospital, Tenwek hospital, Sigor sub-county hospital and Siongiroi health centre.
“We have 48 students undergoing treatment at Sigor sub-county hospital, 30 at Longisa county referral hospital and another 20 at Tenwek hospital,” said Dr Sitonik.
Another 70 learners who were undergoing observation at Siongiroi health centre have been released and are being treated as outpatients.
Earlier, several other students were treated and discharged at the health centre with the number of the affected cases rising to 300 in the day mixed and boarding school.
Most of the affected students had stomach upsets and were diagnosed with a high fever at the health facilities they were taken to.
It is suspected that the students fed on contaminated food as the institution had a celebration on Thursday where a newly constructed hall was handed over to the institution by a contractor.
“The cause of the infection is under investigation with samples taken to the government chemist for analysis. Initially, there were claims the learners may have drunk contaminated water, but initial investigations have ruled that out,” said Dr Sitonik.
Parents complained of a lack of drugs at the government hospitals, with the victims transported with motorcycles, school bus and public service vehicles.
