At least 33 learners from Maria Mwengere Secondary School in the Kavango East Region were hospitalised at Rundu Intermediate Hospital due to suspected food poisoning.

The local community and the regional leadership in Kavango East are looking for ways to put an end to the suspected food poisoning cases in the region.

Former Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa called for an urgent meeting at Ndiyona this weekend.

The Governor of Kavango East Region, Julius Hambyuka, is urging residents to be extra careful when buying or preparing food. His call follows a series of suspected food poisoning cases in the region, the most recent in Korokoko village, where two children tragically died after reportedly eating cassava roots.

Two children died, and two other family members are in intensive care at Rundu State Hospital after an incident of suspected food poisoning.

Nineteen people were rushed to the Rundu State Hospital with suspected food poisoning on Friday shortly after consuming oshikundu.

The Namibian Police Force’s Regional Commander for Kavango West, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo, said the incident occurred around 11h00 at Mavanze village.

Rundu Intermediate Hospital's Medical Superintendent, Dr. Jean Kalala Kabangu, says serious intervention is needed regarding the suspected food poisoning cases coming from the Nyangana District. 

One more person has died following an incident where eight people are suspected to have contracted food poisoning at Livayi Village, 155 kilometres east of Rundu.

This brings the number of dead from the incident to three. 

Two minors have died, while six are hospitalised at the Rundu Intermediate Hospital due to suspected food poisoning. 

This happened at Livayi Village, 155 kilometres east of Rundu in the Ndiyona Constituency.

The death toll of people who died from suspected food poisoning at Kayova Village in the Kavango East Region has increased to 13.