A major food poisoning outbreak in Bhiwandi town, Maharashtra, has left 79 people still undergoing treatment at a local hospital, five days after consuming snacks at a popular eatery. According to Dr. Madhavi S. Pandare, Medical Superintendent of the IGM Hospital, 124 patients were admitted to the facility since the incident, with 45 discharged and 79 currently under observation.
The patients are stable and out of danger, although some still complain of abdominal pain and loose motions. The hospital has sufficient staff and medicines, including ORS stocks, to handle the situation. Patient samples have been sent for microbiological, chemical, and culture analysis to determine the exact cause of the illness.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a crackdown on food joints in the area, sealing a prominent eatery in the town and taking action against another for faulty declarations. FDA Assistant Commissioner (Bhiwandi) Santosh Shirosia noted an unusual pattern in the incident, where only those who consumed shawarma after 10 pm fell ill. The FDA is examining the preparation process of the dish, and food poisoning cases typically spike during May-June due to prevailing climatic conditions.
Local MLA Rais Shaikh termed the improper regulation of such food outlets a matter of serious concern, citing the sale of expired items in godowns in the area as a contributing factor. Mr. Shaikh also expressed his expectation that the FDA should take this seriously and conduct raids on such storage facilities soon.
