One Dead, 9 Hospitalised After Eating Poisonous Cassava

Cassava

One person has died and nine others are receiving treatment after they ate suspected poisonous cassava on Friday.

Residents of Karugutu town council on Saturday were shocked when their colleagues started vomiting after eating suspected poisonous cassava flour that was bought from a local shop.

Ntoroko District police commander, Mr Apollo Kyangungu, confirmed the incident on Sunday saying that they are still investigating the case to establish the source.

"True one child died and nine others are receiving treatment in different clinics in Karugutu while others were rushed to Fort Portal main hospital after consuming poisonous cassava that was bought by local traders from a truck vending flour from Fort Portal on Friday," Mr Kyangungu said.

Residents said that it was the usual vehicle that normally supplies them with cassava flour. By Saturday evening, nine people were hospitalized at Karugutu health center IV and other several clinics around Karugutu town council, but one of them, a child, died. 

Mr Kyangungu warned people and traders to stop buying cassava from mobile trucks until security in the region concludes the investigations.

This is not the first time people die after eating poisonous cassava. In September last year, two people died and 44 were hospitalised after eating poisonous cassava in Kasese District.