24 Kolkata Schoolgirls Fall Ill, Hospitalised: Official

At least 24 girl students at a Kolkata school were rushed to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Monday night after they fell ill, an official at the medical facility said.The students are undergoing treatment at the hospital's emergency department and have complained of fever, abdominal pain and vomiting, though their condition is stable, he said.The exact reason behind the students falling ill at the same time is yet to be ascertained.Doctors are closely monitoring the students and conducting an assessment to determine the cause of the illness, he said."The possibility of a food or water-borne problem is being examined, while an infectious cause has also not been ruled out," the official said."The students are stable and are being monitored. We are conducting the necessary examinations to determine the cause of their symptoms," he said.The school authorities have not yet issued any statement regarding the matter.Sources at the West Bengal Health Department said Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay could visit the hospital to take stock of the situation.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)