On the evening of September 11th at 8 p.m., a significant number of students from the First Junior High School in Yima City, Henan Province, were reported to have suffered from food poisoning and subsequently were sent to the hospital for treatment. The incident has sparked renewed concern among netizens regarding food safety.
Videos posted online by several netizens showed a scene at the school’s gate crowded with parents who rushed over upon hearing the news, as well as many onlookers. Ambulances were seen coming in and out of the school gate one after another.
According to a report by Zonglan News, online sources indicated that over 100 students displayed symptoms of food poisoning. Some netizens even claimed that “several carloads of people were taken away.”
A parent of a student affected by the suspected food poisoning stated that primarily first-year students were affected, while her own child was a third-year student and approximately ten classmates also showed similar symptoms.
A netizen from Henan named “+✞ɚ微調重度依賴ɚ✟₊” said, “I also got poisoned at the scene and had to go to the hospital. There were bugs and detergent in the food and soup, the bean paste was poisonous and tasteless, the eggshells had feces inside, and the winter melon was sour.”
Another netizen named “萌豆豆” added, “The food the children ate was all bad, the eggs smelled rotten, how can they not have nausea and diarrhea? How can children’s bodies withstand eating such food every day?”
The incident has gained widespread attention online. Netizen “一隻語柔” expressed, “There was detergent in the soup, rotten eggs, bugs in the vegetables, and the eggs used in the tomato scrambled eggs were fluorescent pink. After two years of eating that, I developed a stomach condition. What can the school offer to compensate for my health?”
Netizen “山已幾” disclosed, “The reason for the cafeteria’s situation is because the school cuts costs, so the suppliers reduce ingredient quality beyond imagination. When we dine out, the ingredients are top-notch; I know someone who works in a university cafeteria where the meat costs only 3 yuan per kilogram, and the oil used is cheaper than what I buy.”
Furthermore, netizen “楊標” remarked, “I am a pig transporter, and recently the volume of live pigs transported has significantly decreased. Then I heard from the slaughterhouse workers that the students have returned to school. Do you think the school will provide fresh pork for you every day? It’s frozen pork that’s been around for who knows how long. Only then did I realize why the live pig transport volume has decreased so severely.”
Some netizens questioned the situation, “Why are there so many cases of food poisoning in Henan these days?” “Why aren’t the teachers or the principal affected?”
In response, a netizen said, “Teachers don’t eat the school meals.” Another netizen concurred, suggesting, “The principal and teachers should eat together with the students, otherwise there’s no guarantee the students’ food is clean.”
After the incident gained attention online, on September 12th, officials from the Yima City Education Bureau stated that the First Junior High School operates a meal system, and food samples have been sent for testing. Some students at the school showed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, but the exact number is still unclear.
The Yima City Education and Sports Bureau reported that as of 10:00 a.m. on September 12th, 11 students who experienced abdominal pain and fever were in stable condition, while the rest of the students, after observations, are gradually returning home or back to school.
The authorities’ response triggered further skepticism among netizens. “A狗子” commented, “How come I heard that the most severe cases are already in shock? It seems like people are still being taken to the hospital now?”
Another netizen stated, “The campus cafeteria needs thorough inspection; students in our area also felt unwell after eating! People with connections to the school’s leadership are involved in managing the cafeteria, and complaints from parents of students are of no use!”