Over 100 passengers on Bharat Gaurav train fall ill due to food poisoning
The Central railway control room received complaints around 10.30 pm on Tuesday when the train was moving towards Pune after crossing Daund
At least 100 passengers, including children and women, fell ill on board the Bharat Gaurav train, allegedly from food poisoning, officials said on Wednesday.
The Central railway control room received complaints around 10.30 pm on Tuesday when the train was moving towards Pune after crossing Daund.
As the train reached Pune station a medical team from Sassoon, Railway Hospital and Ruby Hall Clinic provided swift treatment to the passengers.
Ramdas Bhise, public relations officer, and divisional commercial manager of the Pune railway division, said the control room received a call around 10.30 pm stating few of the passengers developed symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach ache.
“The medical team and doctors were ready at the railway station. The train arrived at 11.25 pm and was halted at platform number 2 for an hour and departed around 12.30 am during which over 100 passengers were provided symptomatic treatment and stabilized. None of the passengers required hospitalisation,” he said.
As per the officials a 12-year-old girl, amongst the passengers, developed severe symptoms and was provided treatment inside the moving train. Two paramedical staff that were present inside the train during the incident provided treatment to the girl. She was provided treatment for vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration and even administered IV fluid on the running train, said officials.
“After a call from railway authorities duty doctors and paramedical staff were asked to proceed to the platform along with the required medicine we were also informed to bring an additional team from Ruby Hall Clinic casualty with the ambulance. A total of three doctors and six paramedical staff reached platform number 2 along with Railway Hospital staff and authorities,” said Ali Daruwala, advisor, Ruby Hall Clinic, in the statement.
According to Daruwala, as many as 99 patients were examined by a team from Ruby Hall Clinic and Sassoon General Hospital.
“Most of the patients complained of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. All patients were clinically stable and treated with ORS solution antiemetic, antacid, antispasmodic, antibiotics etc. Ambulances from Ruby Hall Clinic and Railway Hospital were kept ready at Pune station in need of transporting patients to hospitals if required,” said Daruwala.
The railway officials informed the food wasn’t provided by the railway and the train had no pantry facility. During the journey, some passengers took food from Wadi railway station near Solapur. While some passengers also received food in the form of donations. The special train had over 1,400 passengers out of which over 100 passengers developed symptoms.
The railway officials are conducting a probe into the alleged food poisoning incident.
Bhise, said, all the passengers were stable and out of danger due to the swift medical attention they received on time.
“All these passengers had developed symptoms following alleged food poisoning. The Mumbai railway division was also informed about the incident and the medical team was also kept on standby at the Kalyan Railway station,” said Bhise.
“The train was heading towards Gujarat and the passengers were informed to contact the railway officials in case any individual develops health issues,” he said.
Dr Kirankumar Jadhav, medical superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital, said, “ The staff at the hospital was kept ready to handle the huge number of patients likely to be reported in bulk. However, none of the passengers required hospitalisation.”
