Samples of coconut water from Karnataka's Adyar unit sent for lab tests after 137 fall ill

So far, 23 have been discharged from hospitals. The condition of all those who fell sick are stable and the department is monitoring the situation, health officials said.

Mangaluru: The samples of coconut water that caused vomiting and diarrhoea in several people in Adyar have been sent for laboratory tests and the results are awaited, Dakshina Kannada DHO Dr H R Thimmaiah said on Friday.

The samples have been sent to Bengaluru for testing. Several people had fallen sick after allegedly consuming tender coconut water from the unit in Adyar on April 8.

"If the lab reports confirm it is unsafe for drinking, then legal action will be initiated against the unit under Section 59 of the Food Safety Act by filing a private complaint in the district and sessions court," he told mediapersons.

The health department said as many as 137 people have fallen sick. Of which, 84 have been treated as outpatients in various hospitals and PHCs, while 53 had availed treatment as in-patients.

So far, 23 have been discharged from hospitals. The condition of all those who fell sick are stable and the department is monitoring the situation, he added.

After receiving a complaint via WhatsApp on April 10, district health officer Dr Thimmaiah and food security officer visited the factory, collected samples, and sent them for testing. All the outlets of the factory in Mangaluru and the factory at Adyar has been closed until further orders, said Dr Thimmaiah.

The DHO said chemical, bio chemical and bacterial analysis of the samples will be conducted. "We have tested the blood and stool samples of the patients tested. There is no cholera. However, further tests will be conducted on which bacteria caused the sickness," he added.

The incident took place on April 8. "It looks like a particular batch of tender coconut water at the unit was contaminated," he said.

Asha workers, health officials have been asked to visit houses in Kannur, Pudu, Manchi areas where cases of diarrhea and vomiting were reported.

The DHO said following complaints from students in hostels of food poisoning and falling sick in Valacchil in February, educational institutions with hostels have been asked to submit an affidavit on providing quality facilities in their hostels.

Accordingly, 403 hostels have submitted their affidavits in the district. In Mangaluru city, urban PHC doctors and health staff pay visits to hostels to verify the quality of food and hygiene and submit a photo of the same.