Longleng mass hospitalisation incident: All patients discharged from hospital

DIMAPUR/KOHIMA— All the 46 patients, who were admitted to District Hospital Longleng for suspected food poisoning last week, have been discharged.

This was updated by Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) of Longleng, Throngdiba Tongpi T. Sangtam to Eastern Mirror.

The official said that 36 patients were discharged from the hospital on Monday and the remaining 10 on the following day after they recovered from the illness.

However, the test results of food sample, which was sent to the State Public Health Laboratory in Kohima, were still awaited, he added.

Commissioner and Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Y Kikheto Sema also said on the sidelines of an event in Kohima on Tuesday that the test report of Longleng case is still awaited as there are two-three layers of testing to be done, while there is only one laboratory in the state that can perform such task.

He said the results may be out by Wednesday or Thursday and that the report will be sent to the concerned authority on receiving it. 

He went on to say that ‘the department is asking the government of India to provide more laboratories to the state’.

It may be mentioned that dozens of people from Pongching village, mostly youth, were admitted to District Hospital Longleng on June 16 due to vomiting and diarrhoea, reportedly after consuming fish bought from a local shopkeeper, during a social work.

The number of people admitted to the district hospital was initially 44 but it increased to 46 after two more were brought in to the hospital for the same symptoms.

Related news: 36 patients discharged from District Hospital Longleng; condition of remaining 10 stable