“Fortunately, everyone is stable and out of danger,” the authorities say.
The tranquility of the school day was interrupted on Tuesday in the El Paraíso neighborhood of Armenia, when 18 primary basic children presented symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, after consuming sweets They were delivered by strangers from a motorcycle, on the outskirts of the Christopher Columbus Educational Institution, Gran Colombia headquarters.
The minors were initially attended by their agreements and gradually transferred to medical centers. As confirmed by the Secretary of Municipal Health, César Augusto Rincón, Nine of them entered the San Juan de Dios hospital and one to Red Salud. “Fortunately, everyone is stable and out of danger, But we are advancing toxicological analysis to clarify the type of ingested substance and the exact cause of the symptoms, ”said the official.
As reported by Dr. Nancy Cabezas, coordinator of the Pediatrics Service, Minors are aged between 8 and 10 years.
In the middle of the alert, It was ruled out that the fact was related to the School Food Program (PAE), and it was reiterated that the situation originated from elements external to the institution. This circumstance has generated concern between the educational community and the authorities, especially since the incident occurred outside the school control.
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“The risk is high when these situations occur outside the perimeter of the institution. That is why we make an urgent call to parents, caregivers and community in general to redouble prevention measures and educate students so that they do not accept food from strangers, ”said Antonio José Vélez, Secretary of Education of Armenia.
The authorities continue with the investigations to determine what type of substance was the ingested. In the next few hours it could be established whether the case will be typified as a disease transmitted by food or intoxication.
Meanwhile, Surveillance in health centers is maintained and the institutional presence in school environments will be reinforced.
Source: Integrated information system
