SANDAKAN: A Standard Four pupil of SK Taman Rimba here who died from food poisoning yesterday, is believed to have picked up the infection at home and not from school.
Sabah Education director Datuk Raisin Saidin said based on initial investigations, the student and his mother experienced food poisoning at home and both were warded.
"The food poisoning was not due to food from the school canteen as it involved only one student, and the student along with his mother experienced food poisoning on the same day at home.
"No other students showed any symptoms of food poisoning from that day until today," he said in a statement.
Yesterday, a football academy posted about the boy, who had represented the academy in the under-10 category, had died due to food poisoning.
Raisin added that a schoolteacher was informed via WhatsApp message on July 23 that the child could not attend school due to food poisoning.
The pupil was brought to the clinic and given a two-day sick leave onJuly 23 and 24.
"However, on July 25, the class teacher was informed by the family that the student had become unconscious on Wednesday night and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.
"Today at 7am, the class teacher was informed by the next-of-kin that the child had died," he said in a statement, adding that the school headmaster and a few teachers had visited the student at Kampung Tinusa.
Raisin added the state education department would assist the child's family members to claim takaful insurance.