On June 23, 2023, 17 students from the Sports Division Hostel in Kannur, Kerala were admitted to the hospital with suspected food poisoning. The students, who were participating in a sports camp, fell ill after eating food from the hostel kitchen.
The students were immediately rushed to Kannur District Hospital for treatment. Doctors at the hospital confirmed that the students were suffering from food poisoning symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
“The students have been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. We have started treatment and are closely monitoring their health,” said Dr Arun Kumar, medical superintendent of Kannur district hospital.
The incident has raised concerns about the quality of food served in the hostel kitchen. The Kerala Sports Council, which oversees the running of the hostel, has launched an inquiry 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,” Rajesh Kumar, secretary of Kerala Sports Council, said.
This is not the first time that students from the sports hostel have fallen ill with suspected food poisoning. In February 2023, several children were among 150 people admitted to Kannur Hospital with suspected food poisoning. In December 2015, 23 girls from the Kannur Sports Hostel were admitted with food poisoning.
The recent incident has once again highlighted the need for stricter regulations and better monitoring of food safety in hostels and educational institutions across Kerala. The state government has assured that necessary steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future.
