60 Students Hospitalized over Water Contamination in Tripoli

More than 60 public school students were hospitalized in the northern city of Tripoli on Thursday after the tap water was contaminated, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The students, who age less than 12, were taken to Dar al-Shifa hospital after suffering from pain in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea and having difficulty breathing.

The children are students at a state school in the area of Abi Samra, the agency said, without giving the name of the institution.

But Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) identified it as Hayy al-Nozha school.

A doctor at the hospital, Jalal Abbous, told NNA that the number of infected students has risen to 60 after initial reports said it was 33.

"The kids most probably became ill after drinking from the water tank," he remarked.

“They will be monitored for 24 hours,” he said. “The water is also being tested to know the source of the contamination.”

"The results of medical and laboratory tests will be revealed on Friday."

In May last year, several students and a teacher in southern Lebanon's Shebaa public school suffered from food poisoning after having lunch during a school trip.