Three children die in Kilifi after eating toxic mushrooms

 

Three children died while seven others were hospitalised after eating poisonous mushrooms in Katendewa village, Ganze, on Friday.

Kilifi county medical superintendent Dr Malik Tajbhai confirmed the incident. The dead children were aged between 3-15 years.

Christine Furaha, a mother of two of the children, said they picked the mushrooms from the forest to cook as a delicacy.

Furaha said it was not the first time the children had pick mushrooms to eat.

Samples were taken to Pwani University laboratories where they were discovered to contain amatoxin, which does not have a known antidote.

"The children picked the mushrooms. They could not tell which ones are edible and which ones are poisonous. They took them to their mother who cooked them without confirming if they are the edible ones. They were served with ugali on Saturday afternoon. It was during the night that they started vomiting," Furaha said.

Two of them who were seriously vomiting were taken to a dispensary but it was closed.

"They were taken to a chemist and given an injection and some tablets. Two more got sick and we took them to Bamba sub-county hospital on Sunday morning, where one died," Furaha said.

The mother of two is lucky to be alive after she also ate the mushrooms.

"My two children just tested the soup but did not eat. My children also complained of stomachache but they are ok now," she added

Speaking in his office on Tuesday, Tajbhai said two of the seven hospitalised are in High Dependence Unit while five are in the general ward at Kilifi County Referral Hospital.

"We received a call for referral from Bamba subcounty hospital on Sunday about the case. We accepted the referral. One of the children died in Bamba," he said.

"The other one died on the way while being taken to Kilifi and the third one passed on today (Tuesday) at the HDU. Those in the general ward are doing well."

Tajbhai explained that amatoxin affects the liver, nervous system and the kidneys.

The mushroom was also discovered to be Reddening Lepiota (Leucoagaricus americanus).   BY THE STAR