62 guests suffer from suspected food poisoning after attending Purandar wedding

The ceremony held on May 3 was attended by hundreds of relatives and guests, with the bride from Nazare Supe and groom from Somurdi village

A marriage celebration in Purandar tehsil turned into a medical emergency when nearly 62 guests suffered from suspected food poisoning after having lunch at the ceremony in Supe village; officials said on Wednesday.

Lunch was served in the afternoon following which, the guests returned home. However, many of them complained of vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain later that night. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The ceremony held on May 3 was attended by hundreds of relatives and guests, with the bride from Nazare Supe and groom from Somurdi village. Lunch was served in the afternoon following which, the guests returned home. However, many of them complained of vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain later that night.

At least 28 of the affected guests had to be hospitalised, raising concerns over food safety at large gatherings. They fell sick after consuming food items such as rabdi, gulab jamun, dal and vegetables served at the event. Thirty-eight other guests were treated on an outpatient basis and later discharged. Health teams from Belsar primary health centre and Garade sub-centre had to be rushed to the affected villages as the number of cases increased. Immediate treatment was provided, and patients with severe symptoms were shifted to hospitals in Saswad and nearby private facilities. According to the public health department, Somurdi village reported the highest number of cases (31) with 20 out of them having to be hospitalised. An additional 11 persons were treated at four private hospitals, and discharged. Twelve patients from Nazare Supe were managed through outpatient care and home visits. Most patients are now stable and no new cases have been reported, according to health officials.

“A rapid response was activated as soon as the cases were reported. Our teams conducted door-to-door surveys, provided treatment, and ensured that seriously ill patients were hospitalised in time. The situation is currently under control,” said Dr Vikram Kale, taluka health officer, Purandar. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials visited the affected villages however no food samples could be collected for testing purposes as the food was over.