Tragic Incident in Zanzibar: Sea Turtle Meat Claims Lives of 8 Children and 1 Adult
A tragedy has occurred in Zanzibar.
Eight children and an adult are dead after consuming contaminated sea turtle meat, while another 78 people were hospitalized, authorities told the Associated Press on March 9. The incident took place on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago.
The adult who passed away was also the mother of one of the children who tragically lost their lives. Dr. Haji Bakari, the Mkoani District medical officer, informed AP that the contaminated sea turtle meat was consumed on March 5 by all those affected.
E! News has reached out to Zanzibar officials for more information, but has not received a response yet.
Sea turtle meat is considered a delicacy in Zanzibar, however, it can have severe consequences due to a type of food poisoning called chelonitoxism.
“Chelonitoxism is a rare and sometimes fatal form of food poisoning caused by consuming marine turtles,” states the National Library of Medicine. “Symptoms can range from mild nausea and vomiting to more severe neurological symptoms, coma, and ultimately death.”