More than 150 villagers who attended a funeral in a Garo-populated village in Goalpara, Assam, have taken ill after food there, the A’chik Organisation for Social Welfare (AOSW) warned today.
The village borders Adokgre, North Garo Hills, and the AOSW fears that the same fish served at the funeral could have found its way into Garo Hills and will end up affecting even more people.
Many of those taken ill have had to receive treatment in healthcare centres and be put on drips and given oral rehydration salts.
The mass food poisoning incident took place on Wednesday in Mariampur village of Goalpara district where a large number of Garo villagers, including many from Adokgre and Kharkutta, were in attendance.
The AOSW urged the government authorities and the general public to be on alert as it suspects that some of the same fish must have been imported for sale in Garo Hills.
Meanwhile, Assam Joint Director (Health) Paresh Kalita told reporters that more than 100 have been admitted to Goalpara Civil Hospital and other hospitals in the district.
Kalita said they suspect food poisoning caused by fish as only people who ate fish fell ill while those who ate vegetarian food are fine.
He said that most of the patients are out of danger and their condition was stated to be stable. (With inputs from PTI)
