The 96 students studying in Wainganga College of Engineering and Management (WCEM) on Wardha road recovered from food poisoning and were discharged from the hospital. They were treated by a team of doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Dr Somadatta Karanjekar, the President of WCEM, said, “The condition of the students was not serious, but since they were symptomatic, so as a precautionary measure, we rushed them to hospital. They were put on saline for some time and were asked to go home.” A total of 96 college students, including a teacher, were admitted to AIIMS in the wee hours of Wednesday as they had food poisoning symptoms.

 

According to AIIMS officials, the students had mild symptoms so after primary treatment, they were discharged on Wednesday afternoon. Of the 96 students, four were asymptomatic so they were discharged after a primary medication. These students ate food in the college mess. According to Dr Karanjekar, the college administration doesn’t outsource the food. They have their own team which prepares the food. These students ate food meant for all, but AIIMS team had a doubt about ‘daal’, which these students consumed.

 

College management too feels so. After consuming the food, the students started vomiting and complained of loose motion. They did not understand what was happening to them. Though the symptoms were mild, the number of students reporting food poisoning symptoms was a cause of concern for everyone. Fortunately, AIIMS Nagpur has a special disaster response team whose members have been trained to follow the protocol, while treating any patient. Despite the big number, the team members treated the affected students immediately on the basis of checklist. Food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses or toxins in the food consumed. Symptoms of food poisoning range from mild to very severe. As a precautionary measure, AIIMS kept two students under observation in the hospital and discharged them in the early hours of the night.