Bhubaneswar: Following a jaundice outbreak in two women’s hostels, Utkal University has prohibited students from consuming street food and fast food on the campus and ordered inspections of eateries to ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene standards, officials said on Tuesday.
University Registrar Dr Swati Mishra said the authorities would inspect all food outlets on the campus, including those at Govinda Sahu Market, to assess the quality of food and hygiene standards.
Shops found violating food safety norms or failing to maintain proper hygiene would be shut down immediately, she said.
The decision comes after several students staying in Girls’ Hostels No. 6 and 7 reportedly fell ill with jaundice and diarrhoea following the festival vacation. Some of them were admitted to hospitals for treatment.
Health department officials and medical teams have already visited the affected hostels and collected blood samples from more than 30 students for testing.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also conducted an inspection and collected water and blood samples for examination to ascertain the possible source of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the university has opened a special control room, pharmacy and public health service centre on the campus to address the health concerns of students.
Around 1,000 litres of purified drinking water have been supplied to the hostels. Students have also been advised to consume boiled water and maintain proper food hygiene as part of preventive measures.
