Sidoarjo regent: Only 34 students remain hospitalized after suspected food poisoning

Only 34 students remained in hospital after a suspected food-poisoning incident affected hundreds of students at Manba'ul Hikam Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java.

Sidoarjo Regent Subandi said the remaining patients were being treated at Siti Hajar Islamic Hospital and were in good health. He said they could return home the following morning. Students treated at R.T. Notopuro Sidoarjo Regional Hospital had already gone home, including the final five patients discharged on Wednesday afternoon.

“Only 34 students remain hospitalized at Siti Hajar Islamic Hospital. Everyone else has gone home,” Subandi said after visiting the patients. He also urged parents not to panic and said local authorities had acted quickly to handle the incident.

At least 566 students developed symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain and weakness after the suspected poisoning at the boarding school on Tuesday, September 1. East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak said the incident also affected 18 educational institutions in Sidoarjo after those involved ate food supplied by the Tanggulangin Kali Tengah Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit, known as SPPG.

The National Nutrition Agency issued a heavy temporary suspension of the unit's operations on Wednesday. Teguh Bayu Wibowo, deputy coordinator of the agency's East Java regional office, said officials were still waiting for laboratory test results on the food. The results were expected to take at least one week.

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Only 34 students remain hospitalized at Siti Hajar Islamic Hospital. Everyone else has gone home.