More than 300 elementary school students hospitalized after lunch

At around 3pm on October 5, a number of students at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School in Bich Dao Ward, Ninh Binh City, showed unusual symptoms. The children were then taken to the hospital for a health check-up. By late afternoon, the number of students admitted to Ninh Binh Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital and nearby medical facilities continued to increase.

According to health sector statistics, by 8:00 p.m. the same day, more than 300 students of Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School had to be hospitalized.

Principal Do Van Tu said that 953 children ate lunch at school on October 5, each meal costing 15,000 VND. The lunch portion included rice, fried shrimp, tomato soup, chicken floss, etc. "The children who vomited, had fever, and felt dizzy were mainly first graders. There were also some in the upper grades, but the number was smaller," said Mr. Tu.

According to Mr. Tu, the school has organized meals for boarding students for many years but has never had a similar incident. He affirmed that the school kitchen selects food from suppliers that ensure hygiene and safety.

Mr. Vu Manh Duong, Director of the Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Health, said that on the morning of October 6, about 50% of the students had been discharged from the hospital, the rest were being monitored by doctors, in relatively stable health conditions, with no critical cases.

Authorities are taking food and medical samples to determine the cause.

Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School is a national standard school level two, in the 2018-2019 school year the school has 1,300 students. This is one of the primary education facilities rated as having the best quality in Ninh Binh city.