Six people were hospitalized on Monday after allegedly consuming cassava leaves, locally known as Mudika, at Muveve village. The incident marks the third reported case of food poisoning in the Kavango regions this month.

Chief Inspector Raimbert Muronga confirmed the incident, stating that the group suffered severe stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Four family members were treated at the Bunya Health Care Center and discharged on Tuesday. However, two others were transferred to Rundu, where their condition remains stable.

This comes in the wake of two earlier food poisoning incidents in the region. Earlier this month, six children in Kashira Village fell ill after consuming poisonous mushrooms, and 19 people were hospitalized in Rundu after allegedly drinking Sikundu, a traditional brew.

Picture: Contributed, Cassava Leaves

Cassava poisoning is not uncommon in the Kavango regions, where the consumption of improperly prepared cassava, which contains cyanogenic compounds, has been linked to severe health complications. 

Further investigations into the latest incident are ongoing.