Delhi gas leak: Schoolgirls stable, kept under observation in four hospitals

More than 200 girls from Rani Jhansi School were taken to various hospitals after they had a reaction to a gas leak from a nearby container depot on Sunday morning. The children were taken to ESI hospital - Okhla, Batra hospital, Majeedia hospital and Apollo hospital for treatment.

According to the hospitals, almost all of the children are stable and have been kept under observation.

After the gas leak, the children had irritation and redness in the eye, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and difficulty in breathing. Some children were unconscious when they reached the hospital.

"The children did not need any specific treatment; we just managed the symptoms and kept them under observation. The gas that had caused the reaction is a compound used for manufacturing fertilisers," said DR HK Mittal from ESI hospital Okhla, which was the first to receive children from Rani Jhansi School. The hospital received 103 children and three adults . Five people with existing heart and kidney conditions were referred to Apollo hospital.

The chemical agent involved is likely to be cholo-methyl-pyridine, which is an eye and respiratory irritant, according to All India Institute of Medical Sciences. A multi-speciality team under Dr YK Gupta, head of the department



of pharmacology, will visit the site to confirm the agent and monitor the progress of victims.

Union health minister, JP Nadda, asked all central government hospitals to be "ready to help all victims of Delhi gas leak incident."

 

Central GoI hospitals have been instructed to be ready to help all victims of Delhi gas leak incident.My prayers are with children &families 

Batra hospital received 55 children with complaints of irritation in the eye, headache and mild breathing difficulties. "Two children, who had breathing difficulties and were taken to the paediatric ICU. The condition of all the children is stable, including the ones in ICU. They have been kept under observation and will be discharged in a few hours," said a doctor, on condition of anonymity.

According to Indraprastha Apollo hospital, which received 43 patients, said, "There were 43 patients, 42 children and one adult. They were immediately managed by a multi-disciplinary team. Therapeutic interventions as per clinical requirements were administered. Currently, all patients are in a stable condition."

"More children are coming in. We will be able to say what happened by evening," said a person from the hospital.