On June 23, 2023, 17 students from a sports department hostel in Kannur, Kerala, were admitted to hospital with suspected food poisoning.Students attending the sports camp fell ill after consuming food served in the hostel kitchen.
The students were immediately rushed to Kannur District Hospital and admitted for treatment. Doctors there observed that the students were exhibiting symptoms of food poisoning including vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
“The students have been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. We have started treatment and are closely monitoring their health condition,” Dr Arun Kumar, medical superintendent, Kannur district hospital, said.
The incident has raised concerns about the quality of food served in hostel kitchens, and the Kerala State Sports Council, which oversees hostel operations, has launched an investigation into the matter.
“We are taking this incident very seriously. We have constituted a committee to investigate the cause of the food poisoning and take necessary action against those responsible,” Kerala State Sports Council general secretary Rajesh Kumar said.
This is not the first time that students from the Sports Department hostel have fallen ill due to suspected food poisoning. In February 2023, several children were among the 150 people admitted to a Kannur hospital with suspected food poisoning.In December 2015, 23 girls from a sports hostel in Kannur were hospitalised after falling ill with food poisoning..
The recent incident highlights the need for stricter regulation and monitoring of food safety in hostels and educational institutions across the state, and the state government has assured that necessary steps will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in future.
