Seven fresh cases of food poisoning in Pune due to 'varai'

On Friday, seven fresh cases of food poisoning due to varai flour were reported to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) by authorities of the Satyanand Hospital in Kondhwa Khurd.

According to Dr Navin Raina, founder and director of Satyanand Hospital, all seven patients belonging to a family from a slum near Shivnerinagar came in at around 9.30 am on Thursday.

“The patients said they had consumed bhakri made of varai flour purchased from a local shop. They had loose motions, headache and tremors in the body. One of them was badly dehydrated. Doctors started them on antibiotics and IV fluids immediately and they were discharged by Friday,” said Merlin Dorabjee, administrator of the hospital.

Meanwhile, the family that belongs to an extremely modest financial background, is worried about repaying the loan they took to pay for the medical expenses.

“The treatment cost us Rs22,000. We are labourers and put up hoardings in various parts of city. We didn’t have so much money and had to borrow from friends. Now we are worried about repayment and the added burden on us,” said Santosh Patil, one of the seven family members.

Meanwhile, the PMC health department officials said none of the patients would be reimbursed for medical expenses.

The officials’ statement comes despite mayor Mohansingh Rajpal’s promise a day ago about the PMC footing the bill.
“All patients are expected to pay for their treatment,” said ST Pardeshi, assistant health officer of PMC.

Of the 166 patients admitted to city hospitals on Thursday, 160 have been discharged. “There are six patients admitted in all, including three at Sutar Hospital, one at Sahyadri Hospital and two at Khenat Hospital in Karvenagar,” said Pardeshi.

On action taken against the supplier of varai flour, Pardeshi said shops in the affected areas had been asked to stop selling it. “We cannot impose a ban on sale of varai products in the entire city and that’s why we have appealed to people not to consume the products,” said Pardeshi.

Meanwhile, both the PMC as well as food and drug administration (FDA) officials are waiting for the laboratory reports of the food samples sent for testing. FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade confirmed it would take at least two more days.

“We would know the reason for mass food poisoning cases only then. Meanwhile, the flour was traced to two suppliers in Thane and Nashik and their trucks containing the product were seized in Chandrapur. We found that besides Kothrud in Pune, flour was supplied to Kolhapur, Akluj and Kuruli area in Khed district, where officials are checking for cases of food poisoning,” he added.