At least 47 students from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) have been hospitalized after experiencing symptoms of loose stools and dehydration, reports PTI.
According to Ramesh Krishna, Dean and Director of BMCRI, the students, all from the Institute’s girls hostel, were admitted to Victoria Hospital on Friday.
Of the 47 students, 28 are being treated in the Trauma Care Centre, 13 are in H Block, and three are under observation in the ICU.
All the affected students have been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, and investigations are ongoing.
Antibiotics and IV fluids are being administered, with further reports awaited.
A doctor from Victoria Hospital confirmed that all students are now in stable condition. While acute gastroenteritis has been diagnosed, there is a suspicion of cholera pending confirmation from test results.
The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department said that six confirmed cases of cholera have been reported in the state this year, with five in March alone. However, the department clarified that these cases are considered “sporadic” and do not constitute an outbreak.
Concerns about a cholera outbreak have arisen amidst extreme heat and a water crisis, but health officials have reassured that the reported cases remain isolated incidents.