Over 150 Children Fall Ill After Mid-Day Meal Incident in Bihar: What Happened?

Health Scare in Saharsa District

In a troubling incident in Saharsa district, Bihar, over 150 children fell ill after reportedly consuming contaminated food from a mid-day meal program. This alarming situation unfolded at a middle school located in Baluaha village.

According to a senior official, 115 of the affected children are currently receiving treatment at Sadar Hospital, while approximately 50 others have been admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.

Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar informed the media, "We were alerted about the illness among several students after they had the mid-day meal. Initially, they were treated at the primary health center, but many were later transferred to Sadar Hospital."

Kumar further stated, "Doctors have reported that the children's health is improving, but they will remain under observation for a while. There is no cause for alarm, although some children are experiencing mild fevers and are being treated accordingly."

In a concerning twist, some parents alleged that a snake was discovered in the container holding the cooked pulses served at the school. Out of the 545 students present, 200 had already consumed their meals before the snake was found, leading to complaints of stomach pain and vomiting.

In response to these claims, the District Magistrate mentioned that food samples have been collected from the school for testing. "We will provide further comments once the test results are available," he added.