Nine-Month-Old Child Dies After Suspected Food Poisoning In Kabwe

A nine-month-old child has died after a family of seven fell ill following a suspected case of food poisoning in Katondo Compound, Kabwe. The incident occurred between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning after the family ate nshima served with minced meat and sweet potato leaves, locally known as kalembula. The family members reportedly began experiencing symptoms around midnight, raising concerns over the safety of the food consumed.

Central Province Police Commissioner Lemekani Chirwa said the affected family members developed nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea after eating supper. “The family members started experiencing nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea around midnight after eating the same food for supper,” Chirwa said. The victims were subsequently rushed to Katondo Mini-Hospital for medical attention, where the nine-month-old child, identified as Arnold Sondo, died while receiving treatment.

Chirwa said the other six family members were found to be out of danger and were responding well to treatment. He added that police had collected samples of the food consumed by the family for laboratory testing for possible poisoning and cholera, although the results had not yet been released. The testing is expected to help authorities establish whether contaminated food or another factor was responsible for the illness.

The child's death has highlighted the seriousness of food-related illnesses, which can become life-threatening when symptoms such as persistent vomiting and diarrhoea lead to severe dehydration, particularly among young children. Health authorities generally advise people experiencing severe symptoms after consuming suspected contaminated food to seek medical attention immediately and avoid consuming or serving any suspected food until it has been assessed.

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased child has been deposited at Kabwe Central Hospital Mortuary, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination. Police investigations into the incident are continuing, while the family awaits laboratory and post-mortem results that could provide further information on the circumstances surrounding the child's death. Authorities are yet to establish conclusively whether the food consumed by the family was responsible for the illness.