JOHANNESBURG - A total of 60 residents of a village in South Africa were rushed to hospital after being poisoned.
Dozens of people were poisoned after eating the beef that had previously died coughed a cobra.
Dozens of Mpoza villagers, near Tsolo in the Eastern Cape Province reportedly suffered diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps after eating the beef.
It is believed that the symptoms appear as a result of the venom of a cobra still inside the beef.
A total of 16 victims of whom were children and had to be rushed to the Nelson Mandela Academy Hospital for treatment.
While the rest underwent treatment at the hospital area of Mthatha on Thursday (1/2/2018).
So far not known the latest condition of the poisoned victims.
"Because of the heavy casualties, St. Barnabas hospital in Libode was alerted to anticipate additional patients," said East Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
"The government appealed to people not to consume meat from dead animals because it can be very dangerous," added Kupelo.
Cobra is a family of venomous animals found in tropos and subtropics around the world.
This snake has a poison that can spread rapidly inside the victim's body through the bloodstream resulting in difficulty breathing and death. (Daily Mail)