Allergy spreads to other schools

Athapattu Bandara

Eighteen students of Balangoda Udugama Maha Vidyalaya, 12 students of St. Mary’s College Negombo and two students of Dematagoda Anuruddha Balika Vidyalaya were hospitalized yesterday due to the allergy that is currently sweeping schools in the hill country, the Police said.

The students, aged between 12-13 had developed rashes and complained of dizziness, the same symptoms witnessed in other students. The school authorities are to take a decision whether to close the schools temporarily or investigate the reasons for the cause while the schools function.

No decision has yet been taken to close the school, the sources said. The students were being treated at the Balangoda, Lady Ridgeway and Negombo hospitals.

Their condition was not serious. Earlier, around 1,000 students from Gampola Jinaraja Bhalika Vidyalaya, 200 students of the Nugawela Boys’ School in Kandy, seven students of the Ethimale Primary School were hospitalized due to allergies.