9 dead, 78 hospitalised after eating sea turtle meat in Zanzibar

Eight children and one adult tragically died, and 78 others were hospitalized after consuming sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, authorities confirmed Saturday.

Despite its status as a delicacy, sea turtle meat can cause chelonitoxism, a form of food poisoning, leading to periodic fatalities in Zanzibar.

Dr. Haji Bakari, the Mkoani District medical officer, revealed that the adult victim, who passed away on Friday, was the mother of one of the deceased children. Bakari stated that the turtle meat was ingested on Tuesday and laboratory tests confirmed its link to the incidents.

Responding to the tragedy, authorities dispatched a disaster management team, led by Hamza Hassan Juma, to Pemba Island. Juma issued a warning urging the public to refrain from consuming sea turtles.

This incident echoes a similar tragedy in November 2021, when seven individuals, including a 3-year-old child, died on Pemba Island after consuming turtle meat, with three others hospitalized