57 Hostel Girls Hospitalized in Ahmedabad Food Poisoning Outbreak

Ahmedabad: A food poisoning outbreak has been reported at a girls’ hostel in the Memnagar area of Ahmedabad, resulting in the hospitalization of dozens of students. Dr. Bhavin Solanki, a senior health official with the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), confirmed that medical teams and food safety inspectors have been deployed to investigate the cause of the illness.

Outbreak at Patel Samaj Hostel

The incident occurred at the Patel Samaj Girls’ Hostel in Memnagar, a facility that houses approximately 900 students. According to official reports, 57 girls were rushed to Sterling Hospital after complaining of severe vomiting and diarrhea.

As of the latest update, while many students were treated and discharged, 18 girls remains admitted to the hospital for further observation. Dr. Solanki emphasized that despite the scale of the outbreak, the condition of all hospitalized students is currently stable.

Suspected Sources: Hostel Meals and Street Food

Preliminary medical inquiries conducted by the AMC have revealed multiple potential sources for the contamination. The affected students reported a history of consuming both hostel-provided meals and outside street food over the last 48 hours.

  • Hostel Menu: Students consumed Khichdi, Idada, and Sev Khamani prepared on the hostel premises.
  • Outside Food: Some students also reported eating popular street snacks, including Panipuri and Dabeli, from local vendors.

Official Response and Investigation

Dr. Bhavin Solanki stated that the AMC acted immediately upon receiving reports of the admissions at Sterling Hospital. “The Corporation has deployed teams to the hostel site,” Dr. Solanki confirmed. “We have already collected food samples from the hostel kitchen for laboratory testing”.

The health department is currently working to determine whether the poisoning was caused by a lapse in hygiene within the hostel’s own catering services or if it originated from the outside food consumed by the students.

The AMC has assured the public that a full update will be provided once the laboratory results of the food samples are finalized. In the meantime, the health of the remaining 18 students continues to be closely monitored by hospital staff and municipal health officials.

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