Dozens of elementary students suspected of food poisoning after school meal in Ho Chi Minh City

They suffered abdominal pain and vomiting later that evening and into the next morning.

Dang Nguyen Thinh, head of the District 7 Office of Education and Training, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday that the health of the affected students was stable.

Local authorities are currently collecting food samples to investigate the cause of the illness.

Phan Thanh Phong, principal of Vo Thi Sau Elementary School, said on the same day that many parents reported their children experiencing symptoms such as abdominal pain and vomiting on Wednesday evening.

The affected students had spent the day entirely at school, leading parents to suspect that lunch may have been the cause.

That night, the school's parent representative board notified the school that students in classes 3/3, 3/4, and 3/5 had fallen ill.

On Thursday morning, the school’s health office, in coordination with class teachers, identified 21 students absent due to symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, and, in some cases, diarrhea.

Seven of these students were taken to the hospital and later discharged for home care.

In addition, one student from class 3/6 was hospitalized on Thursday after vomiting.

Another student reported abdominal pain at noon the same day and was also taken to the hospital for monitoring.

Nguyen The Vu, director of District 7 Hospital, confirmed on Thursday afternoon that a student from Vo Thi Sau Elementary School was admitted at noon with mild fever and vomiting.

The child received intravenous fluids and had recovered, said the doctor.

Another student from the school had been taken to the hospital the previous night with similar symptoms.

Both students stated they had eaten a meal at school that included chicken wings and sour soup.