Zanzibar: seven people died after consuming toxic turtle meat

Seven people have died and twenty four others are in hospital after eating poisonous turtle meat in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar.

Turtle meat is a common delicacy among locals living along the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean but this particular one consumed was from a poisonous species, specualtions said.

Zanzibar’s President Hussein Mwinyi sent condolences to the families of the deceased, in a message shared on Twitter.

Natoa pole kwa familia za marehemu waliofariki kufuatia kula samaki wa kasa anayesadikiwa kuwa na sumu katika kijiji cha Msuka Taponi, Wilaya ya Micheweni,Pemba.
Naziomba Familia za marehemu kuwa na subira katika kipindi hiki kigumu cha msiba.

Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un

— Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi (@DrHmwinyi) November 28, 2021

Pemba police boss Juma Sadi has banned the consumption of turtle meat following the incident, BBC News reports.