9 People Die, 78 Hospitalized After Eating Meat of Sea Turtle in Pemba; What Is 'Chelonitoxism' Food Poisoning?

While sea turtle meat is served as a delicacy in Pemba island at the Zanzibar archipelago, it can also lead to fatal poisoning.

9 Die, 78 Hospitalized Due To Sea Turtle Meat

Nine people have reportedly died, while 78 others have been hospitalized following sea turtle meat consumption in Pemba, which is an island situated in Zanzibar archipelago across the Indian Ocean. The nine people who died included one adult and eight children.

One woman who passed away last Friday was the mother of one of the kids who died earlier. Dr. Haji Bakari, the doctor, shares that they ate the sea turtle meat on Thursday. Lab tests revealed that all victims consumed the meat of sea turtles before they died.

Despite the animals' endangered status and predisposition towards fatal and severe food poisoning, green turtle meat is still considered a Zanzibarian delicacy.

It remains unclear what specific sea turtle the individuals who died consumed. However, based on postmortem toxicity reports, all nine people ate sea turtles prior to their deaths.

Amidst this tragedy, Zanzibarian authorities have a disaster management team for making changes to urge individuals to avoid sea turtle consumption.

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What Is Chelonitoxism?

Consumption of sea turtle meat is known to specifically lead to chelonitoxism, which is a mysterious food-poisoning condition that can surface upon the consumption of sea turtles. This is the condition that the victims died from.

According to studies, all sea turtle parts are possibly toxic. The consumption of their meat could lead to symptoms such as nausea and vomiting to more severe ones, including coma, neurologic manifestations, and even death.

The Turtle Foundation notes that food poisoning that comes from sea turtle meat could lead to the worst effects among children and older individuals, though adults can also face the same impacts. Symptoms of chelonitoxism are thought to be associated with poisonous algae that the sea turtles consume.

Deaths Caused by Sea Turtle Meat

While this recent case is indeed alarming, it is not the first time it has happened. In fact, in November 2021, seven individuals also died in Pemba after the consumption of sea turtle meat. These people included one three-year-old. The consumption also led to the hospitalization of three other individuals.

There have also been similar reported incident cases across Micronesia, Indonesia, and Indian Ocean islands of India. Across several regions, local governments have outlawed sea turtle consumption.

All over the world, sea turtle poaching has led to the deaths of over one million sea turtles throughout a span of three decades. It is likely that several people have consumed the exotic and supposedly-delicious meat. However, considering the gravity and mystery of chelonitoxism, it is still better to give any turtle soup a pass.