At least four students fainted at a girls’ secondary school in Sudan’s Blue Nile region on Sunday, two days after insecticide was sprayed on the premises to tackle a bat infestation, local Sudanese media reported.
The students at Dhat al-Nitaqain Secondary School in Damazin were taken to Damazin Hospital for treatment. Other students developed similar symptoms during the morning, according to sources cited in the report.
The spraying took place on Friday morning, September 25. Health authorities are investigating the incident, with the substance used and its concentration under review.
Blue Nile’s health ministry said all students admitted to hospital were in stable condition and had been discharged after receiving treatment. A medical team, including paediatric specialists, provided care.
The ministry’s health emergency and epidemic control department began investigating the cases. A team led by the ministry’s director-general also visited the school, accompanied by a World Health Organization representative and health emergency and epidemic control officials.
The ministry contacted the plant protection department to identify the insecticide, establish its concentration and check whether it was within permitted limits.
Parents called for authorities to disclose which chemical had been used and explain what measures would be taken to ensure students’ safety before classes resume.
