Yesterday a total of 67 pupils of the Dunyi Primary School of
Wangsi Town in Sichuan Province,?after having meals at
school Thursday, reported symptoms of fever and diarrhea, which
doctors diagnosed as acute gastroenteritis. One pupil has been
discharged from hospital, according to sources with the Dayi County
government. The 66 pupils who remain in hospital are in stable
condition, doctors said.
Three pupils first developed fever and diarrhea at around 3:00
PM Friday and more reported similar symptoms on Saturday and were
hospitalized. Officials of Dayi County said investigators still
need to determine if the pupils were stricken by food poisoning or
by contaminated water they'd been drinking.
The county government has established a headquarters to direct
medical treatment of the pupils and ordered local schools to
inspect sanitary conditions. The Ministry of Education has also
ordered local education departments to inspect sanitary
circumstances and check drinking water in all schools in their
jurisdictions.
(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2006)