Police say 61 girls hospitalized due to sudden illness
CHARIKAR, Afghanistan - Doctors are investigating whether dozens of girls were poisoned at a high school in northern Afghanistan on Monday after 61 girls went to the hospital because of sudden illness, officials said. Dr. Khalil Farhagga said the 61 students and one teacher from a school in Parwan – one province north of Kabul – complained of irritability, tearing and confusion. Several girls also passed out.
The mass hospitalization comes about two weeks after a similar incident in Parwan, where dozens of girls were hospitalized in late April after being sickened by what Afghan officials said were strong fumes or a possible poison gas cloud.
Conservative Afghans oppose education for girls, who were not allowed to attend school under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime.