Poisonous relish leaves three children dead

Poisonous relish leaves three children dead

Petauke, May 27, ZANIS —–Three children aged between five and eleven have died at a farm in Petauke after eating suspected poisonous okra.

Acting Petauke District Hospital Medical Officer Elita Kandiyo confirmed in an interview with ZANIS that the trio died after eating poisonous food at the farm in Kaphyela area in Petauke last Saturday.

The family of six was rescued by a good samaritan who booked a scotch cat to ferry them to the nearest Nyamphande rural health centre.

Dr Kandiyo explained that two of the three children died at the farm while the third one died at the hospital.

She further explained that the okra which they ate before retiring to bed was poisoned by the cotton chemicals sprayed in the field from which they plucked the okra.

Meanwhile the father of the deceased children Nigo Banda and the mother Naomi Banda both 36, and their youngest daughter Betty who is currently hospitalised are in a stable condition.

In another development, one case of suspected typhoid has been reported in Chikuse area in Petauke district.

In the recent months, cases of typhoid have been reported in Chipata and Lundazi districts of the Eastern province.