An unholy experience follows a holy ceremony

Some 102 people who fell sick on the morning of June 24 reported to the Riserboo hospital with suspected food poisoning.

Around 45 people from the large group admitted to the hospital, had earlier attended a ceremony of Holy Scriptures recitation (Bum) at Kheshing village under Trashigang, which was conducted on June 23 corresponding to the fifteenth day of Bhutanese calendar. They had taken some leftover food from the gathering back home to share with friends and families, thereby unintentionally infecting everyone who consumed the food items.

Dr Tandin Zangpo said, “The nature of disease presentation people complained of are abdominal pain, vomiting with mild fever and body weakness. They have commonly shared symptoms.”

In a case of mass infection due to food poisoning 102 people showed up with similar symptoms at the Riserboo hospital on the same day

However, as of today, the hospital had placed three patients under observation but they have now gone home.

The doctor said, “So far, we have just admitted two patients with minor illness suspecting it to be food poisoning or acute diarrheal disease outbreak.” He also clarified saying, “We haven’t come to concrete conclusion yet, and the investigation is still going on.”

The lunch menu on the day of suspected food poisoning included beef curry, curry prepared from cow hides, fried dry-fish, fried cheese and egg, cabbage and onion pickle, white rice and also beverages which included locally brewed alcohol called ara, bangchang, changkey, beer, tea, suja, mixed juices, and water.

“We are suspecting one among the above mentioned food items to be the cause of illness,” Dr Tandin Zangpo said.

He also added, “Those who had the leftover food from same place represented similar illnesses. No patient is serious and most of the patients are treated on OPD basis.”

As of now, the food samples and stool samples are being sent to Mongar Regional Referral Hospital for laboratory investigation.

Riserboo hospital started to receive the patients from the very next day starting 9 am in the morning till 3pm the next day. All of these were people who were infected by food from the ceremony.

Dr Tandin Zangpo said out of 102 exposed, 31 people escaped the sickness. He said it is just preliminary and the case is still under investigation.

The patients have received treatment from Riserboo hospital and a field visit by the doctor, ADHO of Wamrong, health assistant and laboratory technician was carried out on the same day late into the evening.