64 students fall sick after having govt hostel food

COIMBATORE: As many as 64 students of the Government Women's Polytechnic College were admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Sunday night and Monday morning after they complained of abdomen pain and diarrhoea. The health department suspects food poisoning and has shut down the hostel mess and cut-off potable water supply.

"On Sunday night, 30 students were admitted to the hospital in two batches and another 26 were taken to the CMCH on Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, a total of 64 students were hospitalised," said Edwin Joe, dean at CMCH.

"The students are in stable condition and responding to treatment. Had they been brought on Sunday afternoon when they began feeling sick, there was no need to hospitalise them," he added.

Meanwhile, two ambulances were stationed at college hostel to shuttle students to the hospital in case of emergency. "We have also deployed two doctors at the college hostel to take care of students. Around eight students have complained of abdomen pain and vomiting there," said the deputy director of public health and preventive medicine, S Somasundaram.

The food safety department has collected samples of potable water supplied at the hostel and lentils cooked at the college mess. "It is said that the lentils used to cook lunch on Sunday could have led to the problem. Food safety department has collected samples, and we can expect the reports in three to four days," Somasundaram said.

The students, however, feel that the potable water supplied at the hostel was the source of infection. "There are two water filters installed in the hostel. One of them was switched off on Sunday night after some of our friends were rushed to the hospital," said a student. The drinking water is supplied from overhead tanks, and when TOI asked when the overhead tanks were cleaned last, a teacher said it was done 10 days ago.

Health officials said it would be difficult to ascertain if the students were suffering from food poisoning. "We doubt the quality of lentils used for lunch on Sunday, but by the time we collected samples on Monday, there was no sample left. So, we had to collect raw samples. I'm not sure how much the test will help," Somasundaram said.

The hostel seems to have a history of water contamination. A similar incident was reported in July 2014, when 24 students of the college were admitted to CMCH after they complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. In 2012, 46 students were taken to Sri Ramakrishna Hospital complaining of illness after drinking water supplied in the hostel. "We have instructed the college to carry out regular cleaning of the water tanks and the mess kitchen," Somasundaram said.