Regional News of Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Source: starrfmonline.com

Two die after eating puffer fish

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Two people have reportedly died after they consumed the deadly puffer fish in Afram Plains in the Eastern region.

According to reports gathered by Starr News, a 62-year-old and a teenager died Sunday afternoon at a clinic in the Volta region where they had been rushed to after they consumed the poisonous fish.

In August last year, a similar incident happened in the same region after some people consumed the poisonous puffer fish.

Speaking to Starr News, Deputy Eastern regional director for public health, Dr Antobre Boateng called for an all hands on deck approach in sensitizing residents against consuming the poisonous fish.

The puffer fish is a dangerous species which has poisonous glands and if not properly prepared for consumption, can cause severe health complications, resulting in death in a matter of minutes.

In August 2017, the Kpando Municipal Assembly in the Volta region placed an immediate ban on the sale of the ‘poisonous’ puffer fish in the area.

The temporary ban followed the death of five persons in the municipality as a result of the consumption of the rare fish species, known as ‘Gede or Agede’ in the Ewe language.