18 hospitalised with food poisoning symptoms in Odisha

At least 18 people in Kuapali village in the Bargarh district of Odisha have fallen ill with suspected food poisoning after eating at a post-cremation ritual feast. Several people who attended the community meal from nearby villages, including Dunguripali, Bhagatpur, and Banamal, have started suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Those affected have been transferred to Padampur Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a local medical team has visited the village, conducting door-to-door health screenings and providing treatments, as well as distributing medicines to families. They have also advised residents on proper food hygiene measures. Health workers have also collected samples of drinking water and food waste for laboratory analysis. These samples have been sent to Bhubaneswar for analysis to determine the cause of the illness. Similar symptoms have also been reported in one patient from each of the neighbouring villages of Dunguripali, Bhagatpur, and Banamal.