Marne: nausea, itching… Students victims of mysterious poisoning

The mystery still lingers. In Fère-Champenoise, a small town located south of the Marne, many students felt unwell on their way to the school canteen. The reason still remains unexplained.

More than 60 students affected

It all starts Thursday, May 30, when 21 children and one adult suffered from vomiting and itching during the journey. Two students, as well as an adult, were transported to the Romilly-sur-Seine hospital center, even if their “condition did not cause concern,” the prefecture said in a press release this Monday, June 3. The others were taken care of on site by firefighters, then recovered by their parents. After a resolution of doubts within the school group premises, the primary pupils were able to return to their classrooms in the afternoon.

Friday May 31, early in the afternoon, the same symptoms were again observed by around twenty children. This time, 170 elementary school students were tested by an SDIS medical team. Among them, 22 had too high a level of CO2 in their blood. They were transported to hospitals in Épernay, Châlons-en-Champagne and Romilly-sur-Seine where they were released the next day.

Monday June 3, while the origin of the poisoning was still unknown, the town hall has decided to close the elementary school and distribute the students to different sites in the city. Nevertheless, the same symptoms were repeated in 19 schoolchildren and one adult of the school group during the trip to the canteen.

After new medical tests on all the students, 10 of them and one adult were transported to hospitals.

Carbon monoxide poisoning?

In a press release this Monday, June 3, the prefect declared that the firefighters, the Samu and the environmental health services of the ARS were present on the site “in search of a cause and an origin of the symptoms, both inside and outside the school grounds. Carbon monoxide poisoning would be considered, but all avenues are being studied.

For now, the school group (nursery, primary and canteen) is closed until further notice. The reception arrangements for CM1 and CM2 are maintained at the college. Lunch will take place at the college. As for the other students, they are welcomed at the association center where a listening cell will be set up available to families and students.

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