8 Kids Dead, 78 Rushed To Hospital After Eating Sea Turtle Meat
Eight children and one adult died on Pemba Island after consuming sea turtle meat.
On the island, which is part of the Zanzibar archipelago, nine individuals ate sea turtle meat, which is considered a delicacy to Zanzibar people. An additional 78 individuals found themselves hospitalized due to the same unfortunate circumstance, NBC News reports.
After the incident, subsequent laboratory tests were conducted, revealing the presence of chelonitoxism. This severe form of food poisoning is directly associated with the consumption of sea turtle meat. Chelonitoxism is most commonly found in Indo-Pacific countries Madagascar and the Philippines.
"Even though sea turtles are an endangered species protected by international regulations that prohibit both the hunting and human consumptions of these species, mass outbreaks of chelonitoxism continue to occur, often in the context of group celebrations," the National Capital Poison Center reports. "Affected turtles appear healthy and do not exhibit signs of illness, but human poisoning can occur if the turtle meat is cooked, eaten raw or boiled in soup, and all parts of the turtle are potentially toxic."
In response to the recent tragedy, local authorities have taken swift action, mobilizing a disaster management team. The public are urged to exercise caution and abstain from consuming sea turtle meat to mitigate the risk of future incidents.
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This unfortunate incident is not isolated.
A similar event in November 2021 led to seven deaths, including a 3-year-old. The victims experienced symptoms the day after consuming the meat, and died within days.
