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Kavango East, Namibia – In a tragic turn of events, a three-year-old girl named Helena Maliro died on Tuesday at Nyangana District Hospital from suspected food poisoning. This incident is the latest in a string of food poisoning cases that have plagued the Kavango East region, claiming over 15 lives in the past year.
Helena and her family had consumed a meal earlier that day in the Ndonga Linena Constituency, which officials believe led to the poisoning. The meal included Mwaza root (cassava plant root) that had been uprooted from the home of the family’s grandmother’s sister on Monday. The family had intended to share the root with their neighbors, according to one local news report.
Constituency Councilor Michael Kapota reported that five adults, including twins, were hospitalized at Rundu Intermediate Hospital on the same day. He noted that the affected family consists of eight members and comes from a vulnerable background.
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The neighbors who also consumed the cassava root have not shown any signs of food poisoning. According to Kapota, they ingested only small quantities of the root, which might explain their lack of symptoms.
“This is a family of eight and from a vulnerable background. The drought relief program in the Ndonga Linena Constituency was just issued that Tuesday when the family was already hospitalized,” Kapota stated.
Authorities are urging the public to be cautious with food sources, especially those that might not be safe. The community is mourning the loss of young Helena and hoping for the recovery of the hospitalized family members. Investigations are ongoing to prevent further tragedies and ensure food safety in the region.
