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107 devotees hospitalised due to food poisoning after temple feast in Tamil Nadu

107 devotees hospitalised due to food poisoning after temple feast in Tamil Nadu

India Today11-06-2025
A total of 107 devotees were hospitalised after consuming food served as part of the 'anna dhana' (food charity) at a temple in Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu.The incident occurred at the Karuppannasamy temple in Kalvimadai village in Virudhunagar district. The mass feeding was organised as part of the temple's 'Kumbabhishekam' festival from June 6.Devotees began falling ill soon after eating food served at the temple. Many reported stomach pain and vomiting, with some losing consciousness. They were first taken to nearby Primary Health Centres and then transferred to the District Government Hospital for further treatment.advertisement
By Monday evening, 107 patients were admitted to Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai district, including 41 men, 55 women, and 11 children. Dr Saravanan, leading the medical team, said all patients received antibiotics and treatment for vomiting and diarrhoea, along with hydration through glucose drips.'Patients were monitored round the clock. Seven among them were moved to a separate facility as a precaution, but all are stable and responding well to treatment,' Dr Saravanan stated. He added that all patients are expected to be discharged after two days of observation.Health officials suspect contamination in either the food or water served during the event. The Virudhunagar Health Department has collected samples, and test results are awaited to confirm the source of contamination.In a similar incident on April 23, fifteen students in a government school in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu felt sick after eating a mid-day meal. A medical team treated them on-site and noted food poisoning symptoms. The children were admitted to a nearby hospital, and were given necessary treatments.advertisementWritten by Sneha A Suneeth
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
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36 injured after 4 buses carrying Amarnath pilgrims collide in J&K
36 injured after 4 buses carrying Amarnath pilgrims collide in J&K

India Today

time05-07-2025

  • India Today

36 injured after 4 buses carrying Amarnath pilgrims collide in J&K

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Hassan's 23 heart attack deaths in 40 days: Is the Covid vaccine behind the sudden deaths in Karnataka?
Hassan's 23 heart attack deaths in 40 days: Is the Covid vaccine behind the sudden deaths in Karnataka?

Time of India

time03-07-2025

  • Time of India

Hassan's 23 heart attack deaths in 40 days: Is the Covid vaccine behind the sudden deaths in Karnataka?

In Hassan, worry has gripped families after 23 people died from heart attacks in only 40 days. Many victims were young or middle-aged. Some were students, others were workers like the 27-year-old woodworker who died last Tuesday. The data paints a bleak picture—between 28 May and 29 June, the deaths covered all age groups, from teenagers to senior citizens. Jayadeva Hospital in Bengaluru has seen an 8% jump in heart patients in two weeks. Most arrive from Hassan and nearby areas. District Health data shows 507 heart attacks were recorded in Hassan in two years. Of these, 190 people could not be saved. CM points finger at Covid vaccine The sharp rise has pushed the Karnataka government into action. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has formed a special committee. Dr Ravindranath , Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, will lead it. The panel must submit its findings in ten days. But Siddaramaiah stirred debate by pointing at Covid jabs. On X, he wrote, 'Orders were given to this same committee back in February to conduct a thorough study on the reasons behind sudden deaths among young people in the state, and whether the Covid vaccines could have any adverse effects.' He added, 'It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated that Covid vaccines could be a cause for the increasing number of heart attacks.' Live Events Health Minister asks public not to panic Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urged people to stay calm while the probe continues. He told News18, 'Once we get the report, we will be able to speak with greater clarity. These are matters that must be properly investigated. Speculation at this stage could cause unnecessary alarm.' Centre stands firm on vaccine safety The Union Health Ministry stepped in quickly. It said on Tuesday there is no evidence to back claims that Covid vaccines cause sudden deaths. It pointed to studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). In its statement, the ministry said, 'The matter of sudden unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country. These studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid 19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country.' Two major studies say no link ICMR ran a nationwide study from May to August 2023. It checked cases in 47 hospitals across 19 states and union territories. Researchers tracked sudden deaths of healthy-looking young adults from October 2021 to March 2023. They found no rise due to vaccines. AIIMS, New Delhi, with ICMR's support, is conducting another study. Early results show the leading cause remains heart attacks and other health conditions, not vaccines. The ministry stressed, 'Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications.' Experts warn against vaccine fear The Health Ministry warned, 'Spreading such claims without proper evidence is harmful. Vaccines saved millions of lives during the pandemic. Such false claims can damage trust in vaccines.' Medical experts too say panic over vaccines could stop people from getting important shots. Doctors say lifestyle plays a big role. Many young professionals work long hours with little rest. The issue is bigger than Hassan. For example, Infosys recently warned staff against working more than 9 hours and 15 minutes a day for five days a week. The IT giant's note counters co-founder Narayana Murthy's controversial pitch for a 70-hour work week. The company wants staff to avoid burnout, as long hours can silently raise heart risks. Back in Hassan, families wait for clarity. The expert panel will file its report within days. Until then, doctors ask people to watch for chest pain, breathlessness, or sudden fatigue. Siddaramaiah posted, 'We have formed a committee led by Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. They have been asked to study the situation and give a report within 10 days.' Hassan watches. So does the rest of Karnataka.

Rural schools feel pinch from Trump admin's cuts to mental health grants
Rural schools feel pinch from Trump admin's cuts to mental health grants

Time of India

time27-06-2025

  • Time of India

Rural schools feel pinch from Trump admin's cuts to mental health grants

Washington: In parts of rural upstate New York, schools have more than 1,100 students for every mental health provider. In a far-flung region with little public transportation, those few school counsellors often are the only mental health professionals available to students. Hennessey Lustica has been overseeing grant-funded efforts to train and hire more school psychologists, counsellors and social workers in the Finger Lakes region, but those efforts may soon come to end - a casualty of the Trump administration's decision to cancel school mental health grants around the country. "Cutting this funding is just going to devastate kids," said Lustica, project director of the Wellness Workforce Collaborative in the Seneca Falls Central School District. "The workforce that we're developing, just in my 21 school districts it's over 20,000 kids that are going to be impacted by this and not have the mental health support that they need." The $1 billion in grants for school-based mental health programs were part of a sweeping gun violence bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2022 in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The grants were meant to help schools hire more psychologists, counsellors and other mental health workers, especially in rural areas. Under the Biden administration, the department prioritised applicants who showed how they would increase the number of providers from diverse backgrounds, or from communities directly served by the school district. But President Donald Trump 's administration took issue with aspects of the grant programmes that touched on race, saying they were harmful to students. "We owe it to American families to ensure that taxpayer dollars are supporting evidence-based practices that are truly focused on improving students' mental health," Education Department spokesperson Madi Biedermann said. School districts around the US cut off training and retention programmes Lustica learned of her grant's cancellation in April in a two-page letter from the Education Department, which said the government found that her work violated civil rights law. It did not specify how. Lustica is planning to appeal the decision. She rejected the letter's characterisation of her work, saying she and her colleagues abide by a code of ethics that honours each person's individuality, regardless of race, gender or identity. "The rhetoric is just false," Lustica said. "I don't know how else to say it. I think if you looked at these programmes and looked at the impact that these programs have in our rural school districts, and the stories that kids will tell you about the mental health professionals that are in their schools, it has helped them because of this programme." The grants supported programmes in districts across the country. In California, West Contra Costa Unified School District will lose nearly $4 million in funding. In Alabama, Birmingham City Schools was notified it would not receive the rest of a $15 million grant it was using to train, hire and retain mental health staff. In Wisconsin, the state's Department of Public Instruction will lose $8 million allocated for the next four years. The state had used the money to boost retention and expand programmes to encourage high schoolers to pursue careers in school-based mental health. "At a time when communities are urgently asking for help serving mental health needs, this decision is indefensible," state superintendent Jill Underly said in a statement. In recent House and Senate hearings, Democrats pressed Education Secretary Linda McMahon on the end of the grants and the impact on students. McMahon told them mental health is a priority and the grants would be rebid and reissued. "Anyone who works or spends time with kids knows these grants were funding desperately needed access to mental health care services," American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said in a statement. "Cancelling the funding now is a cruel, reckless act that puts millions of children at risk." Grant programmes put more mental health specialists in schools The strains on youth mental health are acute in many rural school districts. In one upstate New York district, half the students have had to move due to economic hardship in the last five years, creating instability that can affect their mental health, Lustica said. In a survey of students from sixth through 12th grade in one county, nearly half reported feeling sad or depressed most of the time; one in three said their lives lacked clear purpose or meaning. "We've got huge amounts of depression, huge amounts of anxiety, lots of trauma and not enough providers," Lustica said. "School is the place where kids are getting a lot of the services they need." Some families in the region are unable to afford private counselling or are unable to get their children to appointments given transportation challenges, said Danielle Legg, a graduate student who did an internship as a school social worker with funding from the grant programme. "Their access to mental health care truly is limited to when they're in school and there's a provider there that can see them, and it's vital," Legg said. In the past three years, 176 students completed their mental health training through the programme Lustica oversees, and 85% of them were hired into shortage areas, she said. The programme that offered training to graduate students at schools helped address staffing needs and inspired many to pursue careers in educational settings, said Susan McGowan , a school social worker who supervised graduate students in Geneva City School District. "It just feels, to me, really catastrophic," McGowan said of the grant cancellation. "These positions are difficult to fill, so when you get grad students who are willing to work hand in hand with other professionals in their building, you're actually building your capacity as far as staffing goes and you're supporting teachers."

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