CHENNAI: Twenty seven children, who had mid-day meals at a government-aided school at Kumaripalayampettai in Tiruvallur district, were admitted to the Institute of Child Health, Egmore with complaints of vomiting and giddiness on Monday. Of the 27 children, 25 were discharged on Tuesday, and two children including a girl, were kept on observation, said doctors.The 27 children including nine girls from the CSI Primary School at Kumaripalayampettai in Gummudipondi were referred to the ICH from the Eguvarpalayam Block Primary Health Centre.
Following the incident, the Food Safety department and Health department sent oil and salt samples and also vomit and water samples for test.“Around 14 children had vomiting and others were admitted with symptoms of nausea and giddiness. It was a case of food poisoning. The condition of the children was stabilised at the PHC itself. All but two children are stable now. Two were kept on observation,” said Dr R S Raghunathan, Resident Medical Officer, ICH.
“The children were served vegetable biriyani with boiled egg around 12.30 pm at the school. After meals, one by one started vomiting. Four children had continuous vomiting and also giddiness. So, they were shifted to the ICH for further treatment. But, parents demanded that all children be shifted to the ICH and so we shifted all,” said a senior official from the Tiruvallur Collectorate.
“We were served vegetable rice and boiled egg. After eating, I started vomiting and also felt giddy. I was given some tablet at the school but vomiting didn’t stop. Then, one villager took me home, but my condition was getting worse and so I was rushed to the PHC,” said Y Sanjay undergoing treatment at the ICH.“After we started vomiting, school administrators gave us some jaggery to eat and made us lie down in the school,” said S Isaac, another student.
“We rushed to the school after two children came home vomiting. Till then we weren’t aware of it. When we went there all children were lying on the floor,” said an attender of one of the children.
Officials from the Health department and the Tiruvallur Collectorate rushed to the school and provided help, the parents said. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar visited the children at the ICH and enquired about their health on Tuesday.