52 students of Andhra Pradesh school fall ill due to food poisoning

52 students of Andhra Pradesh school fall ill due to food poisoning

Fifty-two students of a school in Andhra Pradesh’s Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district were hospitalised on Monday due to food poisoning after consuming breakfast at their hostel, an official said on Monday.

District Collector Himanshu Shukla said the students complained of stomach ache, vomiting and nausea after consuming breakfast, prompting authorities to shift them to a nearby government primary health centre.

Shukla said all the students are stable and recovering. He said immediate first aid and medication were administered to the affected students.

Shukla further said that eight students experiencing high fever and severe dehydration were later referred to the Ramachandrapuram Area Hospital for further care.

The students are stable and under observation, hospital authorities said. District medical and health officials, Revenue Divisional Officers and the district’s medical officer, Dr Durga Rao, visited the school and hospital to assess the situation.

Food samples served to the students were collected for testing.

“In Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam Draksharamam, a total of 460 students are staying in the hostel, of which 52 students had mild symptoms of diarrhoea. Local medical officer Dr Durga Rao established a medical camp for the students’ treatment,” Shukla said.

“Only eight of them were referred to the area hospital in Ramachandrapuram. They are admitted under the supervision of a paediatrician, and all are stable and recovering,” he said.

He added there was no severe case of food poisoning among the 52 students.

Pilli Surya Prakash, the Ramachandrapuram constituency in-charge, visited the hospital and pledged necessary medical assistance to the students. He said strict action would be taken against those responsible for the incident.

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