Hyderabad: 33 students fall ill after eating hostel food, hospitalised
All the students are currently stable but are being kept under observation.
Hyderabad: Thirty-three male students from the Telangana Minorities Residential School in Vijayanagar Colony were admitted to Niloufer Hospital on Monday after they fell ill after eating food served at the hostel. Their condition is now said to be stable.
They were served a chicken dish for lunch and vegetable curry for dinner on Sunday. On Monday morning, the students complained of severe pain in the abdomen and started vomiting before breakfast. They were rushed to Niloulfer Hospital.
Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Murli Krishna, said the students are being treated in a special ward, with doctors and nurses constantly monitoring their condition.
All the students are currently stable but are being kept under observation. Sources said they will be discharged after 9 pm.
Secretary of the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS) which administers the school, B. Shafiullah, said samples of the food served to the students have been sent to the laboratory to ascertain if it’s a case of botulism.
“When we received the information we immediately sent our Vigilance team to the hostel. An internal inquiry has also been ordered. The administration will take action based on the findings of the investigation,” said Mr Shafiullah.
He said only a few students were affected and some students complained only to follow their fellows. Some of the students had eaten food prepared and brought by their parents.
Home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Welfare minister Koppula Eshwar and Nampally MLA Jafar Hussain Meraj visited the hospital and spoke to the doctors.
The ministers also visited the hostel in Vijayanagar Colony and inspected the kitchen and served food to the students.
Mr Hussain Meraj expressed concern over the incident and asked the authorities to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against responsible persons.
This is not the first time that such an incident has taken place.
In March this year, 60 girl students staying at the Charminar Hostel of the TMREIS got food poisoning after eating the meal served in the school mess.