A 12-year-old boy is in critical condition following the case of mass food poisoning in Karnataka, which has already cost the life of another boy from Meghalaya.
The critically ill boy has been referred to Apollo Hospital in Mysore.
The deceased was originally named as Sunday Kerlang but has now been conclusively identified as Khrehlang Khongtani of Lyndem village in the Pynursla area. He was a Class 6 student.
The two were students of a private Gokul Educational Institution in Mandya district in Karnataka. They and the other 28 school students residing in a hostel fell ill after consuming leftover food from a Holi celebration. The hostel reportedly does not have the requisite authorisation to operate.
According to a press statement issued by the state’s Education department all others are in stable condition.
All 30 hostel residents (23 of whom hailed from Meghalaya) were taken to hospital after experiencing severe vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration. However, Meghalaya’s Education Department today said that the other 28 students are now no longer in critical condition.
The Meghalaya government is in constant touch with the District Magistrate of Mandya, who has assured full support in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government on Monday deputed two officials of the Education Department to travel to Karnataka to enquire in connection with the death of the 13-year-old.
Director of School Education and Literacy, Swapnil Tembe stated that the two officials – P Sunn, Sub Inspector of Schools, Sub Divisional School Education Officer, Shillong and R Kharsyntiew, District MIS, PM – POSHAN, Shillong will coordinate with the concerned district administration in Karnataka and also with the parents of the all the children from Meghalaya.
As per the order they shall also submit a detailed report on the incident subsequently.
According to the bulletin provided by the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, the children were victims of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis. The children are aged between 12 to 16.
