At least 50 school children aged 6-8 fell ill in India’s eastern state of Bihar after consuming the food offered in their schools, a local health department official confirmed on Wednesday.
The school kids were reportedly taken ill on Tuesday afternoon, complaining of stomach ache and vomiting, before being admitted to a local hospital where they were said to be recovering.
The incident occurred in the state’s Sitamarhi district. The children had eaten the regular midday meal offered by school authorities. The food was said to be contaminated as a dead chameleon was found in it.
Dr. Sudha Jha from the Sadar Hospital said that all the children admitted there were recovering and out of danger.
“All the children here are stable and symptom-free. We have kept them under observation. Everything is normal now. Their parents are with them. There is nothing to worry about,” she said.
Run and sponsored by the federal government, the midday meal scheme provides all children studying in junior or primary schools in India with cooked lunches, with the aim of improving the nutritional levels among school kids.
