Health officials from the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital have confirmed that the alleged Food Poisoning incident in the Mabella community, Freetown over the weekend has recorded no loss of life as widely rumored on social media.

On May 18, 2024, an influx of patients from the Mabella community was admitted to Connaught Hospital with complaints suggestive of food poisoning.

The health officials said patients presented with symptoms including vomiting, weakness, dizziness, malaise and bloody stool and seizures.

They reported that the total number of patients recorded were 104 (63 female, 41 male and 26 children with a total of 80 patients (48 females, 32 males, including 26 children) received and treated at the Connaught hospital.

They further added that 2 patients were admitted to Intensive Care Unit and were later stable and transferred to step-down unit.

Majority of patients according to the health officials are stable after initial treatment and all patients positively responding to treatment.

The officials said treatment and monitoring of patients are still ongoing with a continued investigations into source of contamination.