Health Dept Prioritises Noodles Death, Looking into Different Brands

The Health Department says investigations have been prioritised to determine if the deaths of five children in separate tragedies were caused by food poisoning.

The department initiated an urgent probe into possible food poisoning in Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Gauteng Provinces, following the deaths of children who allegedly consumed noodles.

According to the preliminary investigation conducted by the Environmental Health Practitioners in the affected provinces and municipalities, the remainders of the foods products have been collected from some affected households and sent to laboratory for testing. 

The department’s Foster Mohale says efforts to ascertain the brand name and store where the food products were purchased are also underway.

“This crucial information will enable the health officials to establish a possible link between the noodles consumed in the three provinces and the deaths, in order to immediately notify the suppliers or manufacturers, while at the same time make a decision on the possible recall of all suspected food products from the shelves for large scale laboratory testing as part of the broader investigation process to prevent possibility of more loss of lives.” 

Mohale has urged the public to report any suspicious food products to the local authorities.