28 students fall ill at Telangana women's hostel, food poisoning suspected

Around 28 students at a government women’s polytechnic hostel in Telangana’s Parvathagiri developed fever, headaches and other health complaints, prompting concerns over possible food poisoning after they ate chicken for dinner. However, the cause of the illness has not been established, with college authorities also pointing to a possible viral infection and other health issues.Several students began experiencing symptoms around midnight, including fever, vomiting, headaches and discomfort. The ongoing situation raised concerns among students and parents, with some seeking permission to return home.College principal Ramesh said the management received calls from students and parents reporting fever and requesting permission to leave the hostel. He said students who wished to go home were allowed to do so after informing the hostel warden.“Some students came to me and said they had a fever and wanted to go home. I told them they could leave. We also advised students to drink warm water and take precautions because of the weather,” the principal said. CHICKEN IN DINNER UNDER SCRUTINYResponding to concerns that students fell ill after eating chicken for dinner, Ramesh said the management had also received complaints and was looking into the matter.He further said that concerns were raised about drinking water. He maintained that preliminary checks using a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter showed normal readings. “We checked the water quality in the college and hostel. The readings were normal, and we did not find any problem with the water,” he said, adding that he had been informed that the students were suffering from viral fever.The hostel warden said she reached the premises around 4 am after being informed that students were experiencing fever, headaches and discomfort. She said she administered paracetamol to around 15 students who had complained of symptoms.“All the students had eaten chicken. Some students may have experienced vomiting because of digestive problems, while others had viral fever,” the warden said.She added that a doctor had examined the students and that around 28 students had reportedly developed fever.When India Today spoke with one of the students, she said that she had developed a fever and a headache around midnight, a few hours after eating the chicken dinner. She also mentioned that she received medication from the hostel authorities in the morning.MEDICAL TESTS UNDERWAYMeanwhile, Dr Sunil Kumar, who conducted a medical camp at a nearby hostel a day earlier, said around 250–270 students were examined during the camp. The students were advised on personal hygiene, allergies and other health-related concerns, while medicines were provided to some of them.According to the doctor, some students developed fever, which he attributed to a possible viral infection and intense heat.He said blood tests for malaria, typhoid and dengue, along with haemoglobin tests, were being conducted on around 10–15 students. Some of the test results had returned negative, he added.The doctor also said several students had reported menstrual irregularities and related health concerns during the medical camp. Those requiring further care would be referred to a gynaecologist at a Government General Hospital (GGH) after the holidays, he said.Asked whether the health concerns had been reported to senior officials, Kumar said he had informed the medical officer and the hostel warden. He also indicated that the matter would be communicated to the District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO).The exact cause of the illness remains to be established through medical investigations. Food poisoning has not been confirmed.- Ends