A school in Kalpetta, Wayanad, has been ordered to remain closed for a week after around 100 students reported fever and vomiting and sought treatment at different hospitals, health officials said on November 3.
The affected institution, St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, was inspected by a team from the health department after complaints emerged. The team found that the water tank and well on the school premises had not been disinfected, according to an official statement cited by PTI.
The health department directed the school authorities to keep the institution closed for seven days. The closure is intended to prevent any further spread of the illness and allow cleaning and disinfection work to be completed across the school premises.
Officials ordered the school to undertake thorough disinfection of its wells and water tanks. The inspection did not establish in the supplied report that contaminated water was the confirmed cause of the students’ illness. The health department’s action followed the reports of students experiencing fever and vomiting and receiving treatment at various hospitals.
The inspection was led by Dr Shyam, Resident Medical Officer at Kalpetta General Hospital. Health Inspector P A Navas and Junior Health Inspectors Suresh Kumar and Bibin Varghese also took part in the inspection, officials said.
The incident places attention on the operational responsibilities of schools in maintaining safe water and sanitary facilities, particularly where large numbers of students share common infrastructure. The health department’s direction links the reopening decision to the completion of cleaning and disinfection work, although the report does not specify a reopening date beyond the one-week closure period.
The school will remain closed during the period directed by the health department while the wells, water tanks and premises are cleaned and disinfected. Further action will depend on the completion of those measures and the health department’s instructions.
