64 students ill after taking lunch in hostel

MADURAI: As many as 64 government nursing students of Madurai Medical College have been admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here, following vomiting and diarrhoea complaints. All are girl students studying first, second and third year nursing course.The first student was admitted to the hospital on Thursday at 10.30 pm. Following her, 63 more were admitted with the same complaints. The students suspected that the symptoms are due to food poisoning. One of the nursing students said that she had her lunch on Thursday at the hostel canteen situated inside the GRH, and since then she was suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.A senior doctor, who was supervising the treatment, said “we do not know the exact reasons for the symptoms. The samples of food and drinking water have been collected and sent to Madurai Medical College for analysis. Only after the results, we can tell more on this.”A Edwin Joe, Dean, Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, said best possible treatment is being provided for the students. No serious cases have been found. Around 20 students would be discharged by the evening, he added.