QUNFUDAH — A total of 54 pupils of a primary school in the southwestern city of Qunfudah were hospitalized with food poisoning on Tuesday. Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal ordered the governor of Qunfudah, Fidha Al-Bugamy, to personally lead the investigations into the incident, the governor said. He said a committee was formed to carry out the investigations. The students said they suspected they were poisoned by the school meals they had eaten the previous day because they barely ate anything on Tuesday. The investigators took samples from the food the students ate at the school and at their own home and sent them to the laboratory. The officials are waiting for the results of the laboratory tests because they are not sure whether the source of the poisoning was the food or a type of bacteria found in the air. Eighteen of the poisoned students were admitted to South Qunfudah Hospital and the rest to various private hospitals and health centers. The Education Directorate is following up with the students. It said all the students are in stable condition.
