Pingzhen Junior High Outdoor Trip: 70 Fall Ill at Gudam Mountain, Sent to Hospital, Expected Back Tonight

Pingzhen Junior High School stated today that students on an outdoor trip from the 13th to the 15th, after dining at Gudam Mountain Resort last night, sequentially fell ill and sought medical attention from midnight onwards, with a total of 69 students and 1 teacher affected. They have since improved and are expected to return to Taoyuan in the evening. This was an outdoor educational activity for the school's 8th-grade students, held from the 13th to the 15th. After departing on the 13th, they visited Miaoli and Lukang, staying overnight in Xitou on the first day. On the 14th, they traveled from Xitou via Nantou to Gudam Mountain Resort in Yunlin County for accommodation and recreation. A total of 25 staff members and over 550 students participated, with a planned return to school on the 15th. Students had a communal meal at Gudam Mountain Resort on the evening of the 14th and did not report any issues with the food. However, starting early on the 15th, students sequentially developed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The school and travel agency urgently took them to the hospital. By 8 AM on the 15th, the number of affected individuals had sharply increased, totaling 69 students and 1 teacher. The hospital preliminarily suspects acute gastroenteritis but has collected samples for testing to confirm the cause. After treatment and rest, most students' conditions have improved. The school stated they would depart for Taoyuan City in the afternoon, with homeroom teachers and school medical staff continuously monitoring the students' health status in the vehicle, making timely stops for rest. They are expected to arrive at the school campus in the evening. However, to protect student privacy, the school urges the media not to film or interview them. The Taoyuan City Department of Education stated that the school and relevant units are cooperating with the local health bureau for sample collection and testing. The department will continue to track the test results. If confirmed to be due to the vendor's sanitation deficiencies, relevant authorities will be asked to strictly punish them according to the law, and the school will be assisted in pursuing compensation according to the contract. The department also stated that it has instructed to continuously monitor the students' health status and to ensure that all schools strictly supervise the hygiene of dining environments when organizing related activities to protect students' rights to education and health. (Editor: Lin Shuhui) 1150415