27 more nursing students in hospital

MADURAI: Twenty seven more nursing students from the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai  were admitted to the hospital for vomiting and diarrhoea on Saturday. As many as 64 nursing students, similarly afflicted after eating at the canteen inside the GRH, were admitted to the hospital on Friday. The students have been admitted to a special ward, arranged for them, at the GRH. Around 60 students were discharged by Saturday.  R Annadurai, MLA, Madurai (south) visited the students. He said that he had spoken to senior doctors at the GRH about the students’ condition, and was told that the illness was due to contaminated water in the GRH hostel. He said that he had brought an adjournment motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly meeting on Friday highlighting the issue. The Tamil Nadu government has taken immediate measures and informed hospital authorities to provide the best possible treatment to them, he said. The MLA said that around 750 students were staying at the hostel meant for only 420 students.“Since the students are suffering because of water contamination, the hospital administration has taken steps to clean the water tank and chlorinate it,” said Dr A Pragadeehwaran, resident medical officer at the GRH.