Minor dead, 40 hospitalised after suspected food poisoning in Bihar

A minor died and at least 40 others including children were hospitalised due to suspected case of food poisoning at a shradh function in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Tuesday evening.

Those who fell sick complained of loose motions, vomiting and other symptoms of food poisoning before they were attended to by local quacks, who failed to contain the situation.

As the situation worsened, the civil surgeon sent two doctors and paramedical staff along with two ambulances to the village. The patients were treated in the open area outside the local primary health care (PHC) centre due to the increasing numbers of the infected. A 10-year-old boy died on way to Kejriwal Hospital from the PHC.

At least nine minors were admitted to Kejriwal hospital, and 20 others were undergoing treatment at the primary health centre at Saraiya for stomach pain, dizziness and vomiting.

A health department team led by civil surgeon Vinay Kumar Sharma visited the village on Wednesday to investigate the cause behind the mass illness but the food samples served at the feast had already been disposed off, leaving no scope for inspection.

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“The food was served during the death anniversary of a local resident on Tuesday afternoon and the symptoms of sickness such as vomiting started surfacing by late evening,” said Dr D C Sharma, in-charge of Saraiya PHC. He surmised that the patients might have consumed stale food .

The civil surgeon said all the affected persons were stable and recovering.

Medical camps have been set up at Rupauli village and door-to-door visits are being done to treat anyone with similar symptoms.