Salmonella was the likely cause of a diarrhea outbreak in Limpopo, South Africa, earlier this week where 42 people were hospitalised, a Sapa correspondent reported on Tuesday.

The outbreak was reported on Monday by the provincial diseases outbreak response team, which believed the initial cause was contaminated food or water at Mokopane Lodge.

“We took water and food samples immediately after the outbreak and preliminary results on the food samples have identified salmonella food poisoning,” response team member Macks Lesufi said.

“We are still yet to get results on the water samples, but so far we have put the whole lodge under quarantine until further notice.”

Lesufi did not provide a copy of the preliminary results, as it was state property.

“We will only release the final results to the public maybe after Thursday,” he said.