The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) announced on Thursday that two toddlers have lost their lives following a food poisoning incident in the West Rand.
This is after four boys aged two, three, four and six allegedly consumed sweets and chips from a vendor at West Deep in Westonaria.
Unconfirmed reports circulating on various social media platforms suggest that the vendors are owned by illegal immigrants.
“Sadly, this resulted in two of the boys, aged two and three, being declared dead on arrival at Bekkersdal West Community Health Centre,” the department said.
The other two boys have been transferred to Leratong Hospital for observation and further management and are in stable condition. The department has offered trauma counselling services to the affected families.
This recent tragedy brings the number of children who have died from food poisoning-related incidents to four. Neo Khang and Katlego Mbatha, both six years old, lost their lives on Sunday after eating biscuits and juice from a local shop in Naledi, Soweto.
Meanwhile, outbreak response teams in both Johannesburg and West Rand districts continue to be on the ground in Naledi and West Deep and surrounding areas engaging locals and conducting health education.
The awareness campaign, according to the department, focuses on food handling, preparation, storage and food safety, the importance of checking food expiry labels and hand washing before handling food.
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