Waikato family sick from eating wild boar still unresponsive

Subi Babu, Shibu Kochummen and his mother Alekutty Daniel remain in a stable but serious condition at Waikato Hospital after eating wild boar. Photo / Supplied

The relatives of family members who are unable to move or talk after eating wild boar will land in New Zealand from southern India late tomorrow night.

A Waikato DHB spokeswoman confirmed husband and wife Shibu Kochummen, 35, and Subi Babu, 32, and Kochummen's 62-year-old mother, Alekutty Daniel are still in a serious but stable condition in a ward at Waikato Hospital.

The trio fell ill nine days ago from what is thought to be caused from eating contaminated wild boar and have been responding to botulism treatment.

The exact cause of their illness may not be confirmed for several weeks as samples have been sent to Queensland for testing.

Meanwhile the couple's two children, aged 7 and 1, are being cared by members of their church in Hamilton while they wait for relatives to arrive from India.

Close friend Joji Varghese said the family was due to arrive from a 17-hour flight at midnight on Monday. They had been working hard to arrange visas since the family had been admitted to hospital.

He said once the family arrived, he would sit down and work out with them what was best for the couple's children. The 7-year-old had not returned to school in Putaruru since her parents had fallen ill.

Varghese said the 1-year-old was unaware of the severity of the situation and had formed an emotional bond with members of the church, while the older daughter was "missing her parents badly".

The children knew the congregation's members before their parents fell ill as they regularly attended the church, but due to living in Putaruru had never stayed at any of their houses.

"Once their relatives get here, we will chalk out a plan and see what their plans are because the people coming from India have children of their own so we will have to sit down and have a really good talk with them about what their game plan is and I'm sure together we will come to a decision of what to do."

Varghese had visited Kochummen, Babu and Daniel in hospital again and said they were still unresponsive.

"The reality is there is absolutely no change from yesterday. They are still stable but critical.

"They are treating them for botulism. Whether they are right - we will have to wait for the results to come. At this stage if we say anything else, it is mere speculation.

"The response at this stage is measured in that their condition is not deteriorating. But it is not improving either."

Varghese said his friends starting to talk again would be a real sign for him that the treatment was working.

Doctors had told him that the response was measured in weeks rather than days and could take between two and six months to work.

"There's no point on meeting (with doctors) on a day-to-day basis as not much change is expected." Instead they had organised weekly updates.