Free State pupils discharged after 'food poisoning'
The Free State Departments of Education and Health have confirmed that the 214 pupils who were hospitalised in a suspected food poisoning incident in Bloemfontein have been discharged.
The matriculants from Kagisho Secondary School were admitted to the hospital on Sunday after falling sick while attending a matric study camp over the weekend.
Pupils complained of stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, fever and vomiting.
The cause of the illness is being investigated.
"These learners, aged between 18 and 20, were discharged and are in good health. The Free State provincial government extends its gratitude to the dedicated professionals who managed this incident with professionalism and compassion,” the department said in a statement.
"The educators at Kagisho Secondary School played a crucial role in providing emotional support to the learners during this distressing time, ensuring that they felt secure and cared for, especially since not all students had parents with them at the hospitals."
This is the first major food-borne illness outbreak this year, following a series of outbreaks in 2024 that claimed the lives of more than 20 children.
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