61 Students Fall Ill at Jamiguda Hostel Due to Food Poisoning

PADERU (ASR DISTRCIT) : In Jamiguda, a tribal welfare girls' hostel in the Araku Valley region of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, 61 students fell ill around 10 PM on Friday night. Out of the 650 girls staying at the hostel, 61 experienced symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain. It is suspected that the illness was caused by food poisoning from contaminated food.

The affected students were rushed to the Araku Valley area hospital for treatment. District Collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar and Joint Collector Dr. Abhishek visited the hospital to check on the students and consult with the medical staff about their condition.

Dr. D.V.G. Sankara Rao, Chairman of the AP ST Commission, also contacted district officials and medical personnel, advising them to ensure the best possible care for the students and to implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar assured that actions would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such events. He confirmed that all affected students were recovering and noted that the issue was linked to a meal that included egg curry. After the meal, students began experiencing vomiting, prompting immediate medical intervention. One student was found to have malaria and is receiving special treatment.

The Collector highlighted the need for improved hygiene standards at the hostel. He added that all students are expected to be discharged from the hospital by this evening. It was found that three batches of eggs supplied to the hostel were spoiled, and staff transfers were planned. Additionally, he says that a new policy requires daily menus to be photographed and sent to the ITDA POs for monitoring.