JHARSUGUDA: Forty-six students from Jamera Developed Upper Primary School in Jharsuguda Sadar Block were hospitalised on Saturday after consuming mid-day meal. The students, who were served rice, dal, and egg, began experiencing severe stomach pain and vomiting shortly after eating.
The incident took place around 10 am, when 131 students enrolled in the school, consumed the meal. Within minutes, several students reported symptoms of stomach pain and nausea.
School authorities, including the headmaster, teachers, and members of the School Management Committee (SMC), quickly shifted the affected children to the district headquarters hospital using ambulances and private vehicles. At the hospital, doctors initially provided treatment in the OPD before admitting 22 students with more severe symptoms to various wards.
Chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Jaykrishna Nayak, who is overseeing the treatment, confirmed that the hospitalised students are showing signs of improvement.
District collector Aboli Sunil Naravane visited the hospital to assess the situation and instructed the medical staff to ensure the students receive proper care.
Preliminary reports suggested that the eggs served in the meal may have been rotten, leading to the illness. To verify this, district food safety inspector Sibasin Horo collected food samples from the school, which have been sent to Bhubaneswar for testing.