Hundreds take ill after having food in function 

The food inspectors collected the samples of food items, including oil used in preparing the food.

VISAKHAPATNAM : Hundreds of people were affected by food poisoning at a private function in Marrivalasa village of K.Kotapadu village. Over 800 people took ill after they reportedly consumed food.

About 800 people, including women and children of Marrivalasa and Pathavalasa villages of K.Kotapadu mandal were hospitalised late Sunday night, after they consumed food, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, at a function in Marrivalasa village. However, they were treated immediately by the Medical and Health department.

G Govind of Marrivalasa village had invited a large number of his relatives and friends for lunch on the occasion of his daughter’s maturity function. Hundreds of people from surrounding villages attended the function and partook the lunch. In the evening, a large number of people suffered from diarrhoea and shifted to the K.Kotapadu Primary Health Centre. Late in the night a large number of people had vomitings and loose motions and  rushed to the PHC. 

As the number of patients were in hundreds, the Medical and Health department deployed  doctors from the neighbouring PHCs and also sent IV fluids to the village. The senior officials rushed to the PHC and shifted some patients to the Devarapalli PHC.

Speaking to Express, district medical and health officer (DMHO) J Sarojani said that about 800 persons were treated at various PHCs and discharged. All the patients were out of danger, the DMHO said. A medical camp was set up at K.Kotapadu and were treated, she added. Eight doctors and a large number of paramedical staff were deployed and IV fluids were injected, she said. Except a few all the patients were discharged by afternoon.

The food inspectors collected the samples of food items, including oil used in preparing the food. The function organisers distributed drinking water sachets. “Samples of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian food were collected. We are also suspecting the water contamination and the water sachets were also sent for testing,” Sarojani said. 

The police rushed to the spot and collected the information. They said once the food testing reports confirm contamination, they would take up further course of action.

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