Zuko Komisa
- Seven young boys were hospitalised on Saturday with severe gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming porridge, rice, and snacks.
- Two children have tragically passed away, four have been discharged, and one remains in critical care.
- Authorities have shuttered a local spaza shop and launched a multi-sectoral investigation involving SAPS and health officials.
Two young boys have died, and one remains in critical condition following a suspected food poisoning incident in Msintsi, Eastern Cape, on Saturday, 7 February 2026.
Seven children, aged two to six, were rushed to the hospital after eating instant porridge, rice, and snacks; while four have since been discharged from Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, the community is left reeling from the loss of two lives.
One child remains in critical condition at Frere Hospital, fighting for recovery as medical teams monitor him closely.
The Eastern Cape Department of Health acted quickly, deploying outbreak response teams to meet with the grieving families and the local ward committee.
To ensure public safety, health practitioners have temporarily closed a local spaza shop—the suspected source of some of the food items pending a formal inspection and the results of clinical tests.
“Every effort is being made to determine the source of the incident,” the department stated, offering condolences to the families facing an unimaginable loss.
As post-mortem examinations and food sample tests move forward, the department is providing psychosocial support to help a shaken community process the tragedy.
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