Munger: 170 villagers fall ill after consuming ‘prasad’, stable

Panic gripped Munger village after at least 170 residents, including women and children, were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning after consuming ‘prasad’ on Monday evening, officials said on Tuesday

Panic gripped Munger village after at least 170 residents, including women and children, were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning after consuming ‘prasad’ on Monday evening, officials said on Tuesday.

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All the patients are now fine and recovering, Munger district magistrate (DM) Navin Kumar said, adding that a team of doctors was sent to Kothwan village under Dharhara police station, where the incident took place, to keep an eye on the situation.

“Most of those who took ill were discharged after being administered with medication. Medical teams have also started sample collection from shops of all the areas where the residents fell ill,” the DM said.

The ‘prasad’, which was made of milk, was apparently contaminated and led to the illness, civil surgeon Dr Harendra Kumar Alok said, while quoting police and health department officials .

Samples of the prasad have been sent to the laboratory for examination, he added.

According to sources in the district administration, more than 250 people were invited at a function at one Mahesh Koda’s house on Monday evening, and were given ‘prasad’. After consuming it, most of the attendees complained of stomach pain, loose motion,dizziness and vomiting, officials said.

Initially, around 22 people complained of vomiting and other symptoms of food poisoning. Gradually, the number increased and they were rushed to medical shops and village doctors, who failed to contain the situation.

On being informed, the civil surgeon sent a health care team to attend the victims at around 11pm. The patients were treated on the street due to increasing numbers of patients.

Dr N K Mehta, who treated the village residents, said of the total 170 people, 90 were discharged and the rest are under treatment. “Everyone is out of danger,” he said.

Besides, 15 persons were admitted to a nearby community health centre as a precautionary measure as they showed symptoms of dehydration, the civil surgeon said. “It was only a preventive move and all of them are recovering fast. All of them will be discharged by Tuesday evening,” he said.