Representative image of a hospital ward.
Credit: iStock Photo
Hyderabad: At least four inmates of an orphanage in Anakapalle district in Andhra Pradesh died due to suspected food poisoning. On Sunday morning, at an orphanage in Kailasapatnam, located in the Kotavuratla mandal of Anakapalli district, 27 students fell ill after consuming contaminated food.
On Monday, four of these students succumbed to a severe illness while undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The incident occurred in a hostel run by the Aradhana Trust in Kailasapatnam. According to reports, these inmates consumed snacks, including samosas and chocolates, during a meeting on Saturday and had rice and sambar at night.
On Sunday, they reported experiencing vomiting and dizziness, prompting a rush to the local hospital. The deceased children have been identified as Jashuva, Bhavani, Nithya, and Shradha. The remaining inmates were shifted to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam for better treatment.
Anakapalli Collector Vijaya Krishnan had ordered a probe into the incident.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has expressed deep sorrow over the incident on Monday.
"Joshua, Bhavani, Shradha and Nitya were among those who succumbed to ill-health while undergoing treatment for consuming adulterated food two days ago (Saturday)," said an official release.
The chief minister also directed Anakapalli district collector Vijaya Krishnan to extend better treatment for the other affected children who are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals.
Further, he ordered the collector to submit a comprehensive report on the incident.
(With PTI inputs)