14 PVTG girl students in Latehar hosp, stable

Daltonganj: Fourteen girl students of a government-run primary residential school for the primitive vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) in Kutmu, located four kilometres away from Betla National Park in Latehar were admitted to the community health centre at Barwadeeh late Saturday with complaints of abdomen pain, cold, cough, and fever due to suspected food poisoning. Officials on Sunday said the students are stable.
Medical officer in-charge of the community health centre Dr Ashish Ranjan said, “Fourteen students of the PVTG primary residential school, Kutmu, were admitted on Saturday night. They are being treated for abdomen pain, cold, cough, and fever. The symptoms show viral infection or food poisoning. All have responded well to the treatment and are stable.”
Under the direction of Latehar deputy commissioner (DC) Bhore Singh Yadav, the project director of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, B Tatma, visited the residential school to take stock of the situation. “Two girls arrived from home with cold and cough. Another 12 girls caught the infection from them.”
School warden Renu Prakash Senapati said all the students were tested for Covid-19 and malaria, and all tested negative. “We hope our students return from hospital soon,” she said.