By Mirwais Himmat
The number of schoolgirls fallen ill after a suspected poisonous gas attack on their school in the volatile southern province of Ghazni has reached 60, medics said on Saturday.
GHAZNI CITY, Jun 12, 2010: School girls being brought to a hospital after a suspected poisonous gas attack on their school in Ghazni City, the provincial capital, on Sunday. About 60 girls fell ill and some became unconscious in the incident, doctors say. (Photo: PAJHWOK/Shir Ahmad Haider)
The teenage girls of the Jehan Malika High School in Ghazni City, the provincial capital, were hospitalised after smelling the poisonous gas, said the director of Ghazni Civil Hospital, Dr. Ismail Ibrahimi.
He said two of them were in a critical condition. Some teachers were also among those hospitalised, he added. Most of the girls were discharged after being treated and while some were still under observation, he said.
He said the blood of sicken girls and potable water of the school was being tested in the hospital's libratory and soon the cause of their illness would be identified.
About 3,000 girls are studying in the Jehan Malika High School, where the poisoning incident happened at 11am.
Provincial education director, Husni Mubarak, said an investigation into the incident had been opened.
Sultan Muhammad, the uncle of a 13-year-old, said his niece was brought to the hospital in a critical condition, but hoped she will get well soon.
"She is suffering from vomiting and complains of severe headache," the uncle said.
Reporters were not allowed to talk to the girls. There was no claim of responsibility for the incident.