CUTTACK: Nearly 300 people, including children, were taken ill after consuming ‘sharbat’ at a stall set up at a fair during Maha Shivaratri at Raisunguda under Salepur police limits on Wednesday night.
Sources said, 213 persons have been admitted to Raisunguda CHC, Mahanga CHC and Salepur referral hospital till Thursday evening while the rest are undergoing treatment at different private hospitals.
Of the 213 patients, 18 have been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital after their condition deteriorated in Raisunguda and Salepur hospitals, said Dr Sachidananda Mishra, Medical Officer-in-charge, Salepur CHC.
According to sources, one Prabhakar Rout of Raisunguda had set up a ‘lassi’ stall at the fair near Swapneswar Mahadev Temple prepared ‘sharbat’ using chemical food colours, flavours and essence besides other ingredients like coconut and ice. The drink, which was being sold for `10 a glass from 4 pm to 10 pm, had a huge demand. Those who consumed it complained of stomach pain, vomiting and loose motions soon after and were rushed to different hospitals.
As a emergency measure, two Medicine Specialists from Cuttack, doctors and nurses from periphery hospitals have been sent to the hospitals to attend to the patients, informed Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Biswa Kalyan Patnaik adding that a disease surveillance team has also been sent to the affected locality to take stock of the situation. Ambulances have also been kept ready to meet any emergency, he added.
Meanwhile, acting on the FIR filed by one Chhabi Samal, Salepur police registered a case and detained the sharbat seller for interrogation, said Prasant Kumar Majhi, IIC, Salepur police station. A sample of the drink has also been collected for test.