Trinco children not poisoned
Panic reaction of Principals, says Epidemiology Unit:
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
No schoolchildren were affected by Tuesday’s food poisoning incident
in Trincomalee, Health and Nutrition Ministry Media Coordinator W.M.D.
Wanninayake said.
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What happened
** Two fishermen had bought
egg and fish buns from a shop on March 22
** They had given buns to
two more persons on March 23
** Four of them had eaten
the buns
** They developed
stomachaches and were admitted to hospital
** One person died
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School principals had misled the schoolchildren and sent them to
hospital in connection with the food poisoning incident, Wanninayake
said quoting a specialist sent by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry
Epidemiology Unit to investigate the incident.
He said on March 22 two fishermen had bought egg and fish buns from a
shop and gone fishing.
“They returned on March 23 and had given the buns to two more
persons.
“Four of them had eaten the buns. They developed stomachaches and
were admitted to hospital. One person died later.” According to the
specialist, the food poisoning had occurred due to a bacteria which was
in the buns taken to sea.
“The school principals had informed schoolchildren that there was a
possibility of all children who had eaten buns of getting poisoned.
“That is how the schoolchildren were admitted to hospital,” he said.
A total of 262 schoolchildren were admitted to hospital and 250 were
discharged by evening. Twelve more are in hospital and only nine are
schoolchildren.
The other three are persons who had eaten buns given by the
fishermen.
The nine schoolchildren are in hospital because of the shock, the
specialist had reported, Wanninayake said. |
