Bernard Sowek said more people could have been affected, noting most patients are in serious but stable condition.
Sowek said most of those affected are youths under the age of 30.
Some of those who spoke to The Standard said they were shocked when many people in the village, young and old, became sick at the same time.
In some cases, some sections of the village were deserted after everyone, parents and children, had been taken to hospital after falling sick.
A village elder, Anthony Koskei, who was among those attending the ceremony, said only part of the food was contaminated since not everyone was affected.
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“All of a sudden, everyone was panicking and making frantic calls for ambulances to take victims to hospital,” said Koskei.
Bad experience
He added: “Some families had every member taken ill. Some of the people were too confused and did not even know what to do. It was a very bad experience.”
Koskei said villagers who had not been affected joined in efforts to take the sick to hospital. “We called the county disaster management team, which moved in fast. Tenwek Mission Hospital, Kaplong Mission Hospital and Longisa Hospital also responded promptly and sent ambulances to ferry the sick for treatment.”
“It was a horrific scene, witnessing children writhe in pain. The wails were heartbreaking. The situation was worse in families where many or all members were affected,” added Koskei, whose two children and those of his brother are also admitted after eating the food.
He said only food from one sufuria was contaminated. “We have been told preliminary investigations have revealed that is the food that caused poisoning that affected our people, especially children because they were served first.”
“If you check in the hospitals, you will find most of those admitted are children and youths because they ate food from the first sufuria. Those who ate last were not affected,” said Kiprono Langat, a resident who is admitted to Kaplong Mission Hospital.
Benard Misoi, whose two children are admitted to Longisa said the young ones started complaining of stomach pains on Saturday afternoon before vomiting and diarrhoea set in.
“I arrived home from work only to find my children in serious pain. They complained of stomachache. They had eaten food at a neighbour’s house during a party for new initiates,” said the father of three.
He said he was shocked to find his neighbours’ children at the hospital where he took his, and all had the same problem.
A team of disaster management officers from the county government have been deployed to comb the village for more victims of the food poisoning.
Stanley Mutai, a disaster management officer with the county, said the number of victims could rise if the number of people who had attended the ceremony is anything to go by.
Sowek said 100 people were admitted to Longisa Hospital and 80 others to Kaplong Mission Hospital. Several others are admitted to Kapkatet Hospital in neighbouring Kericho County.
Abdominal pains
The chief officer said victims were complaining of severe abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea which he said led to dehydration.
“These are signs of food poisoning. A family is said to have offered part of the food they had eaten earlier to the family where the event was happening. It is this food that is said to have caused problems. The two children died due to uncontrolled dehydration and shock,” said Sowek.
“The first group of victims started complaining of stomach pains around 3pm on Saturday and were treated at Kaplong Hospital. However, the numbers increased overwhelmingly and we were forced refer others to nearby health centres,” said Sowek.
Area OCPD Jonathan Ngala said they are already investigating the incident that has left the whole village in shock.
“We have already taken samples of the food the victims ate for tests to establish what caused the poisoning,” said Ngala.
Sotik MP Joyce Laboso visited the victims at Longisa County Referral Hospital and Kaplong where they are admitted and termed the incident regrettable.
Laboso, who is also the National Assembly Deputy Speaker, asked locals to be careful and to observe hygiene when handling food.
Meanwhile, Sowek said public health officers have been deployed to the area to sensitise the public about food safety and the need to seek treatment. He said some people are suffering for failing to seek treatment.
