Days after at least 80 students of the Morarji Desai residential school in Gondhichatnalli in Shivamogga district fell ill allegedly after consuming a meal at the hostel, over 20 students of a different branch also reported sick on Thursday, officials said.
On Thursday morning, students from the Morarji Desai residential school in Gajanur, Shivamogga, were admitted to McGann District Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment, hospital authorities said.
“20-22 students were admitted to the hospital in the morning. No other cases have been reported after that. We still don’t know the cause of the incident. We have sent samples for culture. We should know in 2-3 days,” Dr Sridhar S, Medical Superintendent at McGann District Hospital, said.
“As far as the treatment is concerned, we are looking into it. There is just mild vomiting and abdominal pain,” Dr Sridhar added.
Shivamogga deputy commissioner R Selvamani, on Thursday, said that bacterial contamination is the suspected cause of the incident, adding that efforts are on to trace the source.
“It could be due to food contamination. They (hospital authorities) are suspecting some bacterial contamination. All the samples have been taken, and culturing is also being done. Once the report is out, we can tell which food caused this. We should get the report in 3-4 days,” Selvamani said.
According to officials close to developments, the students had also participated in a ‘Yogathon’, organised by the Karnataka sports and youth empowerment department at Nehru Stadium in Shivamogga on Monday.
“All the students who fell ill were involved in this Yogathon programme. Breakfast was arranged for all the students who participated in the event. But they complained of uneasiness after returning to the hostel in the afternoon on Monday. The food given to the students during the yogathon may have caused food poisoning,” an official said.
On Monday, at least 80 students from the residential school in Gondichatnahalli village were admitted to the same hospital after they complained of vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. The students have recovered and were discharged from the hospital, authorities said.
The students said they felt uneasy after they consumed chapati, rice and curry in the afternoon at the hostel. After they complained of nausea and stomach ache in the evening, the teachers took the students to the McGann hospital, and admitted them there at around 5 pm on Monday, according to officials.
“The residential school has classes up to 10+2 from 5 standards. Soon after students complained of stomach ache, we called an ambulance and shifted to hospital,” Morarji school principal M Tejasvini had said.
Shivamogga Rural MLA Ashok Naik, who visited the hospital and met the students, on Monday, said there is no need to panic as the doctors suspect that it could be due to the consumption of contaminated food or water.
While the situation has created panic in other residential schools in the district, the doctors said the situation was under control, and advised the parents and school authorities to remain calm.