Medininagar, February 16 At least 175 people, mostly children, fell ill after allegedly consuming contaminated food at a fair in Jharkhand's Palamu district, officials said on Monday.
The incident was reported from Dwarka village, under the Panki Police Station limits, when these people became sick due to "food poisoning," Palamu Civil Surgeon Dr. Anil Kumar Shrivastava said.
Most of the patients were suffering from vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain since Sunday night, another official said.
"A total of 175 people were admitted to the Panki Community Health Centre (CHC), but now only 22 of them are undergoing treatment. The initial symptoms indicate food poisoning. The exact cause will only be ascertained after the investigation reports come," Shrivastava said.
These people consumed contaminated food items at a fair organized on the occasion of Mahashivratri, another official said.
The health department arranged for additional medicines and medical personnel, and the affected children were being continuously monitored, the civil surgeon said.
"I have instructed the doctors to ensure proper treatment for the patients and make sure medicines, beds, and medical staff are available as required," he said.
The health department is fully alert and prepared to deal with any emergency situation, another official said.
The Mahashivratri fair was organized in the Raghua Khad area of Dwarka, and people from Dwarka, Yadav Tola, Jamuatand, and several surrounding villages attended.
