Bad food leaves 60 schoolchildren in hospital

By Nimal Gunathilake, Matale Corr

Sixty Grade Five students of Handungamuwa Maha Vidyalaya were admitted to hospital for food poisoning yesterday.

The students who had attended a Grade V Scholarship preparatory examination held at the school on Saturday developed convulsion, pain, vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming some food provided to them by the school.

The food had been supplied by an official of the Wilgamuwa Education Office.

Medical Officer of the Handungamuwa Hospital Dr K. P. B S. Jayasinghe said the students were out of danger.

Parents said that during the past seven months they had provided food to the students attending the scholarship examination preparatory class but there had never been any problem similar to Saturday’s incident.

Principal of the Vidyalaya Wasantha Ekanayake said that students had complained of dizziness and other symptoms of food poisoning and been admitted to the hospital. He said he would conduct an investigation into the matter.

Hospital sources said that some students had been discharged last evening after treatment.

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