20 students fall ill due to suspected food poisoning

All students are being treated at hostel, says DMHO

As many as 20 students of Social Welfare Residential school located at Dubbak in Siddipet district fell ill on Friday, due to suspected food poisoning.

The students complained about stomach pain and symptoms of fever, according to sources.

District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Kashinath along with medical teams rushed to the hostel and was treating the students.

Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Kashinath said that 12 students went to hospital with complaints of stomach pain and fever. He said that they were treated at the hospital and later shifted back to the school hostel. Another eight students in the school are also being treated at the hostel for the same complaints and have been placed under observation.

The students told the treating doctors that they have developed these health issues after consuming Payasam the day before yesterday, the DM&HO said that there might be some other reasons, including water contamination, but they could not confirm it till medical tests were completed.

There are some 400 students studying in the school and according to locals some of the students have been suffering with seasonal fevers. Some students have complained that they have been not receiving proper food despite repeated appeals.