Andhra Pradesh: 3 children dead, 37 others hospitalized after food poisoning at orphanage run by religious organization

At least three children died, and 37 others were admitted to different hospitals in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh for treatment of food poisoning on Monday, news agency ANI reported.

According to the reports, the children were admitted after eating food at the hostel run by a religious organisation named Aradhana Trust in the Kailasa Patnam area of Kotavuratla Mandal in Anakapalli district.

“37 children are being treated in different hospitals in Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts” ANI quoted Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan as saying.

As per media reports, the children were served ate samosas to eat. After eating samosas, 37 students experienced vomiting and diarrhea due to food poisoning. Among them, 14 children, who suffered severe vomiting and diarrhea, were transferred to nearby hospital in Narsipatnam area for treatment.

The reports further said the condition of four children are critical and they have been transferred to King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam for further treatment.

The deceased were residents of an orphanage in Anakapalli, where 80 students live.

The deceased has been identified as Joshua, a first-grade student, and Bhavani and Shraddha, both in third grade. Out of the 86 students from the school, 37 fell ill and three lost their lives.

Earlier on Saturday, atleast 80 students from a district council school in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district were hospitalised after eating biscuits given in a nutritional meal programme.

The children began experiencing nausea and vomiting around 8.30 am on Saturday at the Keket Jalgaon village school, according to local officials.

The local officials said the village head and officials from the administration rushed to the school soon after they were informed and arranged transportation for the affected students.

The students were taken to the nearby rural hospital for treatment, and their condition is currently stable.

Around 8.30 am on Saturday, nearly 257 students reported symptoms of food poisoning after eating the biscuits. Of these, 153 were brought to the hospital and some were treated and sent home, India Today reported quoting Dr. Babasaheb Ghughe, a medical officer at the rural hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Ghughe said that seven students who developed severe symptoms were transferred to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Civil Hospital for further treatment.