Derabish: More than 100 people have fallen seriously ill after consuming ‘prasad’ at a village temple at Pinchhapatia village of Krushnanagar panchayat under Rajnagar block in Kendrapara district Sunday. Initially a few had fallen ill Sunday afternoon but with the progress of time more and more people were hit by the stomach bug. The number of infected people went past the 100-mark Monday.
While some of the patients are undergoing treatment at Dangamal primary health centre, others are receiving treatment at a village school where a make-shift hospital has been set up.
According to a source, Navami was observed at the temple of Sheetala, the village deity, Sunday. As per the tradition, the edibles offered to the deity were distributed among the villagers as ‘prasad’.
Some of those who had consumed the ‘prasad’ complained of acute stomach ache and other problems Sunday night onwards. Monday saw the number of such patients growing with some of them being children.
On being informed, a team of district health department healthcare staff led by Rajnagar community health centre (CHC), medical officer Dr Rashmiranjan Mohanty visited the village and started treatment.
Dr Mohanty said that in case the condition of any patients turns critical, the person will either be shifted to Rajnagar CHC or, if required, to Kendrapara district headquarters hospital (DHH). He said that it was a clear case of food poisoning.
PNN
