Over 800 fall ill after consuming prasad in Orissa school

Baripada, Aug 30 (UNI) Over 800 people fell sick after consuming prasad on the eve of Ganesh Puja, at a school in Orissa's Mayurbhanj district.

Official sources said the villagers and school children took the ''bhog'' at the Ganesh puja celebration at Rangamatia Nodal ME School. They later became sick and were admitted to hospitals with symptoms of stomach pain and vomiting.

At least 92 people were admitted to the district headquarter government hospital at Baripada and another 41 to the Primary Health Centre at Rangamatia, while the rest were discharged after first aid, Additional District Medical Officer(ADMO) Niranjan Rout today said.

Some of the affected persons were also treated at the four temporary health camps, set up by the district administration, he added.

Meanwhile, Orissa Director of Health Services Usha Patnaik visited the villages this afternoon and described the situation as under control. She said all the sick persons admitted to the hospitals were returning to normal.

Police had registered a ''criminal case'' in connection with the incident and sealed two shops in the town which had supplied the ingredients of the ''Bhog'' (Chuda and Gur) to the school.

The district authorities had sent the sample of the ''bhog'' to the Health Department laboratory for chemical examination.

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