The state of Telangana in India has been hit by a series of food poisoning cases at a minority residential educational institution in the town of Jadcherla. Over the course of two days, several students reported experiencing stomach pain and vomiting, resulting in multiple hospitalizations.
On Wednesday, August 7th, a group of male students from the school suffered from suspected food poisoning after eating breakfast. Six of the affected students were admitted to the local government hospital for treatment.
This incident comes just a day after dozens of students from the same school fell ill due to food poisoning. Following the latest outbreak, the Mahabubnagar district magistrate, Viziendira Boyi, visited the school to assess the situation.
In her address to the media, Boyi said that after the students ate breakfast, some of them started complaining of vomiting and stomach aches. Medical aid was immediately provided and 48 students were tested and provided with medicine. The six most severely affected students were then transported to the hospital.
Boyi acknowledged the potential for water and food contamination at the school and requested local officials to regularly inspect the quality and safety of the school’s food.
This incident is part of a broader trend across Telangana, where several residential schools have reported food poisoning cases in the last five days. On August 2nd, students at a government school in the city of Nizamabad were served rice with chili powder and oil, while on August 3rd, worms were found in the food at a girl’s school in Narayanpet district.
Further incidents occurred on August 4th, when around 20 students from a school in Nagarkurnool district were hospitalized, and four students from a social welfare school in Vikarabad were admitted with jaundice. On August 5th, ten students and two staff members at another girl’s school in Nagarkurnool district fell ill with diarrhea and vomiting.
Commenting on this story, one national food poisoning lawyer said, “The recurring nature of these food poisoning cases in the state schools should raise serious concerns about the quality and safety of the food being provided to the students. Authorities need to take corrective measures to ensure the well-being of the children in their care.”
