Khunti — At least 30 students of PM Shri High School, Tilmi, in Jharkhand’s Khunti district have fallen ill after returning from an educational trip, with several reporting vomiting, diarrhoea, high fever and stomach pain, officials said on Monday.
The students, from Karra block, began developing symptoms on Sunday evening, while additional cases were reported on Monday morning. Several affected students were admitted to the Karra Community Health Centre for treatment.
According to the health department, the illness could be linked to an educational trip undertaken by the students on October 3. The group had visited a gurukul at Dodma and Rani Falls in Torpa block.
During the trip, the students reportedly prepared food themselves. Officials have also been informed that some students consumed food purchased from roadside stalls near the picnic location.
However, health authorities have not yet determined whether contaminated food caused the illness or whether the students were affected by an infection. An investigation has been launched to establish the exact cause.
Most of the reported cases are from Tilmi village, while some children from nearby Masko and Barwadag villages have also fallen ill, officials said.
Following the reports, the health department stepped up surveillance in the affected villages to identify additional cases and monitor the health of residents.
On the directions of Civil Surgeon Dr Lalit Ranjan Pathak, medical teams were dispatched to Tilmi, Masko and Barwadag. Health workers are conducting door-to-door visits to assess children and other residents, identify suspected cases and provide medicines where required.
The students admitted to the Karra Community Health Centre are being closely monitored by doctors. Their condition is currently reported to be stable.
The district hospital has also been kept on alert as a precautionary measure. Officials said arrangements are in place to shift any child to the district hospital if their condition worsens.
Health authorities are continuing their medical and epidemiological assessment to determine the source of the illness. While food contamination is one possibility being examined, officials have not yet officially confirmed it as the cause.
The incident has prompted increased health surveillance across the affected villages, with medical teams continuing to monitor the students and residents for any fresh cases.
–IANS