Boy dies, ten admitted after consuming meat from dead cow

An 11-year-old boy died yesterday (Sunday) evening while ten others were left in a critical condition after eating meat from the carcass of a cow in Challa Village, Taita Taveta County.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Taita Taveta OCPD Fred Ochieng’ said the boy died shortly after he arrived at the Taita Taveta sub-county hospital where the others affected are currently receiving treatment for food poisoning.

Mr Ochieng’ noted that the owner of the dead cow is being held at the police station while the body of the deceased is preserved at the hospital’s mortuary.

The police boss urged area residents to avoid eating meat that has not been inspected by veterinary officers.

This comes just weeks after two children were admitted and 25 others treated and discharged at Eremet Dispensary in Isiolo County after consuming meat from a dead camel.

More than a hundred consumers of the meat were treated after they complained of vomiting, headaches and stomach aches.

It is suspected that such cases are on the rise owing to the ongoing drought that has affected most arid and semi arid areas in the country.

Edited by Ann Mukuru