City in central Japan hit with apparent mass food poisoning

Toyama, June 17 (Jiji Press) – Many students and preschoolers in the city of Toyama, central Japan, have developed symptoms such as an upset stomach in what appears to be a case of Mass food poisoning, the city government said Thursday.

Milk served with school meals is believed to be responsible for the illnesses of those affected, sources from a local public health center said. The city government carried out an on-site inspection of the company that produced the milk in question to determine the cause of the apparent case of food poisoning.

As of Thursday morning, 391 students and employees from 13 primary and secondary schools and 73 children from five preschools in the capital of Toyama Prefecture were absent, the city said.

In the afternoon, the number of absentees in schools increased from one to 392 while 438 people left school early in the day because they felt sick. The number of preschool children absent or returning home early stands at 100, authorities said.

Those affected have symptoms such as diarrhea, upset stomach, vomiting and fever, but no one is in serious condition, city officials said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]