GANGTOK January 3, 2011:

Around 60 peoples of Luing, Lingdok under Kabi Lungchok constituency in North Sikkim were admitted to STNM and Central Referral Hospital due to food poisoning on Tuesday January 3, 2011.

According to the sources the people fell ill after attending funeral of Jirasari Rai, mother of LB Rai of Lingdok on 1st of Jan. A total of 150 well-wishers attended the ceremony, out of which 60 got food poisoned. Initially it was thought that the poisoning happened due to forest mushroom but the people who did not have taken mushroom have also got infected. Hence, the exact reason of what caused food poisoning remains unknown till now.

Some patients have recovered and some are still critical. Victim Karma Dupchen Lepcha 46 years old who is admitted in the STNM hospital said that the ceremony was joined by many people. “People had taken mushroom, kallo dal, dahi and it was pretty hard to distinguish what exactly caused poisoning, because the people who did not had mushroom too got infected” said Lepcha. Lepcha was brought in the hospital in critical situation. He was suffering from fever, diarrhea and vomiting since Monday morning. Four other people were admitted to Manipal hospital on 2nd January and they are still under treatment.

“I bought 10 kgs of mushroom from Lall Bazar, Gangtok on 31st December, and I am quite sure that mushroom must not be the cause,” said another victim Prem Rai.

Among the 60 patients who are admitted in the hospital 47-years-old Mrs. Shanti Rai and her 6-years-old child are still under critical condition.

“All my family members are admitted in STNM”, says Rajesh Chettri who did not attend the funeral as he was out of station.

There are still some more people affected in the villages, but did not turn up due to financial problems. Local panchayats are managing the affected to bring them to hospital. The food poisoning episode remained unrevealed till Tuesday. Fortunately there has been no loss of life till now.

 

Comment