Wayanad school food poisoning: Number of students seeking treatment crosses 120
Over 120 students from Mar Baselios AUP School fell ill with suspected bacterial infection, likely from contaminated water. The school is closed for a week pending investigations.
Over 120 students from Mar Baselios AUP School fell ill with suspected bacterial infection, likely from contaminated water. The school is closed for a week pending investigations.
Over 120 students from Mar Baselios AUP School fell ill with suspected bacterial infection, likely from contaminated water. The school is closed for a week pending investigations.
The total number of students from Mar Baselios AUP School, Koliyadi, who sought treatment at various hospitals after developing health issues, crossed 120 by Saturday evening, according to Agriculture Minister T Siddique, who is the minister in charge of Wayanad district.
Students began arriving at hospitals from Friday evening with symptoms including headache, fever, vomiting, and loose motion (diarrhoea).
While interacting with the media on Saturday afternoon, Minister Siddique said that more than 70 students are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals, while the rest returned home after an observation period and primary medication.
“There is no cause for concern, as elaborate arrangements have been made at the hospitals, and none of the students is in serious condition,” he said. One teacher from the school also sought treatment after developing similar symptoms.
One-Week Holiday Declared for the School
Meanwhile, the District Education Officer has directed the closure of the school for one week. A series of inspections has been scheduled to determine the cause of the widespread infection among the students.
Water samples from the school were reportedly sent for laboratory testing. The Food Safety Department has also collected samples of the provisions used for preparing the midday meals.
Suspected Bacterial Infection from Water
According to District Medical Officer (DMO) K T Rekha, a suspected bacterial infection from contaminated water may be the reason for the widespread illness. Biological samples have already been collected and sent for chemical examination, and the results are expected within three days. The exact cause can be confirmed only after the results are available, she said.
Regarding special arrangements at the Government Taluk Hospital in Sulthan Bathery, Dr Rekha said that two paediatricians and five staff nurses have been deployed to provide emergency care to the children. A separate ward has also been arranged for their convenience.