VIJAYAWADA: About 56 persons were taken ill at A Kondur mandal on Tuesday after consuming ‘panakam’, a traditional drink made with jaggery and black pepper on the occasion of Sri Rama Navami.
The sick include eight children and 20 women. Officials said the condition of three was said to be critical, who were referred to a private hospital in Vijayawada.
All 56 consumed panakam served in the festival celebrations organised at Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple in Chaitanya Nagar Tanda of A Kondur mandal on Monday evening. Their number could rise as locals said many who fell ill after the celebration were taken to a private hospitals in Vijayawada.
Krishna Collector B Lakshmikantham, who visited Thiruvur government hospital--along with medical and health officials, said the residents of Chaitanya Nagar Thanda organised Sri Rama Navami celebrations in the nearby Lord Anjaneya Swamy temple. After the rituals, organisers served panakam in bottles to the devotees. “On Tuesday morning, a few villagers complained of severe stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhea. Upon inquiring, consumption of Panakam was said to be the reason for people to fall sick. A Kondur police, upon reaching the village, rushed the sick to nearby government hospitals in Mylavaram and Thiruvur towns,” he said.
Meanwhile, doctors attending to the sick said that they were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to suspected food poisoning. “The patients were admitted as they were having vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. After the treatment, they recuperated and most of them were discharged from the hospital by evening,” a doctor-on-duty said.