At least 133 students from Baiti Jannati Islamic boarding school in Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia, were rushed to hospital after suffering symptoms including dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.
According to Jakarta Globe, the students are suspected to have suffered food poisoning after consuming meals distributed under the Indonesian government’s free nutritious meals programme.
The students began experiencing symptoms after eating food provided through the programme last Friday, with the number of affected students reportedly increasing the following day.
A school official, Faid Fauzan, said a female teacher was also among those who developed similar symptoms.
“Initially, we took several children who were vomiting to the nearest community health centre, where they were later advised to seek treatment at Al-Mulk District Hospital.
“As the number of sick students continued to increase, Al-Mulk Hospital recommended that some patients be referred to Syamsudin District Hospital,” Faid told reporters yesterday.
The affected students and teacher were subsequently treated at several healthcare facilities as medical teams worked to assess their conditions.
School administrators said their immediate priority was ensuring that all affected students received appropriate treatment and recovered from the suspected food poisoning.
Authorities are expected to investigate the suspected source of contamination, particularly the meals distributed under the government programme, as the number of affected students continues to draw attention.
