At least 24 people, including men and women, have been hospitalized in Harshin District, Faafan Zone of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, after reportedly consuming contaminated food, according to local health officials.
The victims, who were workers involved in the construction of a local water reservoir, are said to have eaten rice mixed with milk, which authorities suspect may have caused the poisoning.
Cabdiraxmaan Jamaal Cabdi, head of the Harshin District Health Office, told BBC Somali Service that all affected individuals shared the same meal before developing symptoms consistent with food poisoning.
“The last meal they ate was rice with milk, but it is still unclear whether that food was the actual cause of the poisoning,” he said.
Preliminary reports indicate that the victims include 20 men and four women, some of whom are receiving treatment at the Xarshin Health Centre.
Health officials have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the poisoning, noting that the rice appeared to be in good condition but the milk added to it might have been spoiled or unsafe for consumption.
