Food poisoning:

Five students hospitalized

Woman arrested:

Rafik Jalaldeen and M.A. Phakurdeen Addalaichenai Group Correspondent

At least 150 schoolchildren of Iraddicholai Vishnu Vidyalaya were admitted to the Batticaloa Hospital on Thursday afternoon following food poisoning. A woman was arrested in connection with the incident.

A Health and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said after a mid-day meal a number of students of Iraddichola Vishnu Vidyalaya who were suffering from stomach ache and vomiting were admitted to Vavunativu and Batticaloa Hospitals. "Following treatments 145 students were discharged on Thursday evening. Five students were treated at the Batticaloa Hospital," he added.

However, the spokesman confirmed that they were not in critical condition. They will be discharged very soon. Sample of the food consumed by the students has been dispatched to the Medical Research Institute for a forensic report.