Angul: Panic gripped locals after more than 25 people fell seriously ill following a wedding feast in Tubey village of Odisha's Angul district. Of them, nearly 20 have been admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital while several others are undergoing treatment at private hospitals in the area.

As per reports, the wedding feast was organised on Wednesday evening in the village which comes under Jarapada police limits in Angul.

A large number of relatives, friends and local residents had gathered to celebrate the occasion. Traditional dishes were reportedly served as part of the community-style banquet. However, guests began experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever a few hours after consuming food at the function. As their condition deteriorated, family members and local residents rushed them to nearby medical facilities for immediate treatment.

Samples of leftover food to be taken for testing

Preliminary findings indicate suspected food poisoning as the likely cause of the illness. Health officials suspect that contaminated food or water served during the feast may have triggered the outbreak. However, the exact source will be confirmed only after laboratory analysis.

Additional District Chief Medical Officer (ADMO) Dr Dillip Pattanaik said more than 15 patients suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting are currently being treated at the district headquarters hospital. He added that most of the patients are stable and under close medical observation.

A medical team from the DHH is scheduled to visit the wedding venue to collect samples of leftover food and drinking water. These samples will be sent for laboratory testing to determine the cause of contamination, official sources informed. Further investigation is underway.

Also read: Three die of diarrhoea in Jajpur; one succumbs to food poisoning in neighbouring Keonjhar