Bengal: 400 children fall ill after consuming deworming pills

Kolkata: At least 400 students of various schools in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal fell ill on Thursday after being administered medicine in view of the National Deworming Day.

District chief medical officer (health) Prakash Mridha said incidents of school children falling ill was reported from Moynaguri, Dhupguri, Moamari, Jalpaiguri and other places.

As many as 300 children have been admitted to different hospitals in the district and state tourism minister Gautam Deb visited the children.

All of them complained of uneasiness, sweating, stomach ache and vomiting. Many of them rushed back home and were taken to hospitals by their family members, while many were shifted by the teachers.

However, condition of none of them is serious, sources in the hospitals said.

The minister said the deworming medicine was instructed to be given to students after their midday meal and the reason for their falling ill is being probed.

PTI