Zebra meat incident prompts warning: 26 hospitalised at Otavi

Otavi residents have been cautioned by the police against buying meat from street vendors following the hospitalisation of 26 individuals who ate a zebra.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when the affected individuals consumed spoiled zebra meat purchased from a street vendor.

Speaking to The Namibian, Otjozondjupa police spokesperson Maureen Mbeha said the preliminary results confirmed that the zebra had died on its own and there was no case opened.

“The meat was not poisoned by someone but the zebra died on its own and the 26 people ate the spoiled meat leading them to hospital. All the 26 people who allegedly consumed the meat were hospitalised and they are all out and doing fine,” she added.

Mbeha further warned members of the community not to consume meat that is sold privately as one may not know what the cause of death of the animal might be.

“To avoid this, people should do away with buying meat on the street especially when it is so cheap then there might be something wrong with the meat or the buyer might be illegally in possession of the meat.”

Earlier, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reported that three men were allegedly seen selling the dried meat in the area of Saamstaan.

It is further alleged that after consuming the dried meat which, most buyers ate without cooking, all of them started feeling nauseous.

In an interview with NBC, Otavi constituency councillor George !Garab said among the 26 victims, two of them were pregnant women.

“There were also toddlers and small children also consumed this meat and this situation is very serious,” said !Garab.