Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200810/20081023/article_377904.htm
Freshmen sickened while on Lin'an trip
Created: 2008-10-23 1:18:42
Author:Liang Yiwen
MORE than 10 freshmen from one class at Fudan University have been hospitalized since Monday suffering from food poisoning after a trip to Lin'an City in Zhejiang Province.
The students have said they want to sue the Spring International Travel Services Ltd, which booked the trip and organized the restaurants in which they ate.
The agency says it is investigating the problem but doubts that symptoms of food poisoning would appear so quickly.
The 43 freshmen left for Lin'an City at 7am on Saturday and returned on Sunday at 5pm.
Since Monday evening, more than 10 were taken to hospital after experiencing vomiting, diarrhea and high fever.
After they were discharged from hospital, students called the agency to complain about the meals they were given.
"We had four meals: two lunches, one dinner and one breakfast, at restaurants in the town of Linchuan, all designated by the agency" said Cao Hui, one of the victims.
"The meals were not tasty but I didn't think anything was wrong."
The first few reported symptoms on Monday evening and half a dozen more were suffering by Tuesday.
"We may have eaten some things separately but the common places where we ate were the restaurants designated by the agency," said Cao.
The Shanghai Food and Drug Administrative Bureau said it had no powers to investigate cases in other provinces.
The students were instructed to refer to the Shanghai Commission for Consumers' Rights and Interests Protection if they did not agree with the investigations carried out by the company, officials said.
The students have said they want to sue the Spring International Travel Services Ltd, which booked the trip and organized the restaurants in which they ate.
The agency says it is investigating the problem but doubts that symptoms of food poisoning would appear so quickly.
The 43 freshmen left for Lin'an City at 7am on Saturday and returned on Sunday at 5pm.
Since Monday evening, more than 10 were taken to hospital after experiencing vomiting, diarrhea and high fever.
After they were discharged from hospital, students called the agency to complain about the meals they were given.
"We had four meals: two lunches, one dinner and one breakfast, at restaurants in the town of Linchuan, all designated by the agency" said Cao Hui, one of the victims.
"The meals were not tasty but I didn't think anything was wrong."
The first few reported symptoms on Monday evening and half a dozen more were suffering by Tuesday.
"We may have eaten some things separately but the common places where we ate were the restaurants designated by the agency," said Cao.
The Shanghai Food and Drug Administrative Bureau said it had no powers to investigate cases in other provinces.
The students were instructed to refer to the Shanghai Commission for Consumers' Rights and Interests Protection if they did not agree with the investigations carried out by the company, officials said.
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