Students 'poisoned' by school

PANGKALPINANG, South Sumatra: Nearly 170 students and teachers at the state-run 42 Elementary School here developed severe food- poisoning with symptoms of severe diarrhea and vomiting after eating food given to them free at the school.

The supplementary food was part of the local administration's effort to improve nutrition. The students get free food once a week.

Mayor Zulkarnain Karim, accompanied by his wife and municipality staff members, visited the students and teachers in the hospital.

At least 70 students had to stay at the hospital with more serious complications, while most of the others were allowed to go home.

Most of the students began feeling the symptoms at around 4 p.m., six hours after eating the food at school. The students ate yellow-rice, egg, fried tempe, sliced cucumber and noodles.

Medical officer Maria Agnes said her office would examine samples of the food to determine the cause of the food-poisoning. - Antara