Hundreds poisoned in I Coast
2006-09-05 07:35
Abidjan - Several hundreds of Ivorians have been poisoned, some seriously, after inhaling toxic fumes from waste dumped two weeks ago, reportedly by a foreign-registered vessel, say sources.
Officials said that the teaching university hospital of Cocody, situated in one of the districts bordering the Abidjan lagoon, had treated more than 340 people between last Thursday and Monday.
The source who asked not to be named said that some people were seriously affected.
He said that an unknown number of people were also taken ill and treated at Treichville Hospital in the commercial capital.
Several daily papers reported that a highly toxic mixture was offloaded in three separate locations in Abidjan overnight on August 19th to 20th by a ship chartered by a Dutch registered company.
The ministry of health and environment had refused to comment, but an emergency meeting on the crisis was held on Monday.