Over 200 students of social welfare hostel students taken ill; food poisoning suspected

Food dumped in the dust bins at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Gurukulam (Girls) residential hostel of Social Welfare Department at Ramakrishna Puram in Sattenapalli mandal in Palnadu district, on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: T. VIJAYA KUMAR

At least 208 students at a social welfare girls hostel at Sattenapalli mandal of Palnadu district were taken ill on Monday, of which more than 61 students are undergoing treatment at Sattenapalli government hospital, while seven have been shifted to the Government General Hospital in Guntur. 

Of the students admitted to the GGH Guntur, three are in ICU, said G. Shobha Rani, Palnadu District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO). A majority of the students suffered from fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and headache, the DMHO said. 

Based on the symptoms of the students, the DMHO said that they suspected that it could have happened due to food poisoning and water contamination, but maintained that the reasons could be ascertained only after laboratory reports. The food safety authorities had collected 23 samples, the health department was analysing around five types of samples, and the Rural Water Supplies department had collected drinking water samples, she said. 

Gouse Shaik, Assistant Food Controller of Palnadu district, said they found unhygienic conditions in the kitchen, there was seepage at the Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant. He said the quality of food supplied to the hostel was not of good quality. He said the department collected samples of groceries for analysis.

Meanwhile, the government arranged an emergency medical camp at the hostel with 20 temporary beds. D. Naga Padmaja, Maternal Programme Divisional Officer, in-charge of the medical camp, said they administered IV fluids to more than 15 students.

K. Sruthi, a student of junior Intermediate, who was undergoing treatment at the medical camp at the hostel, said the students suffered from vomiting, fever and other health issues on Monday morning. There was a sudden outbreak and many students fell ill on the campus, she added. 

Around 620 girl students are studying and 40 employees are working in the hostel. So far, all the students are out of danger. The District Collector issued orders to close the hostel for four days.